Behind the Bricks
An occasional series of interviews with some of my favourite Lego builders.
This time, the inspired and inspirational Ilse Vaesen (@royaumedesbriques / www.royaumedesbriques.fr / www.sixbricks.fr)
1. You’re a grown-up for goodness sake, what are you still doing playing with Lego?
I am a remedial teacher for children with special needs (learning problems or behaviour problems). I often use Lego during my sessions. I also give Lego workshops for disadvantaged children for a foundation and Lego workshops to children who simply love to learn new ideas and technics. I also make custom builds for shop windows or a personal gift. During the lockdown I often posted Lego challenges on the social media for which I also made some small objects.
2. When you’re not playing with children’s toys, what do you enjoy doing?
I love to walk in a park, forest or near a river. I love the beauty of nature and the calm. (I live in the center of a big city . . . ).
3. What is your favourite song?
I love music of the eighties and early nineties.
4. What is your favourite film?
Forrest Gump.
5. What is your favourite TV show?
Telefacts : It shows documentaries about a wide variety of issues, most of them being widely known recent events. This Flemish programme sometimes gives in-depth analysis to certain current events. I live in France for over 7 years now, but I still like to watch Flemish television.
6. What is your favourite book?
Une nuit insolite au Bioparc (An Unusual Night At Bioparc). It is a story I wrote with a 10-year old child who couldn’t read nor write. The project took 1 year, but at the end of our story, he was able to read it all by himself. We wrote the story in two different levels: one for his classmates and another one with very short phrases and small words. Then I built all kind of animals to illustrate the story. I hope to publish the book one day!
7. What was your first Lego set?
I suppose that must have been the universal building set 40-1. I got it at the age of 3 when I was treated in hospital for meningitis.
8. What is your happiest Lego-related memory?
When I got my first technic set 854. It was also my last technic set, since my mother thought it was boys’ stuff . . . . My cousin had lots of Lego technic and I loved to build huge engines with him.
9. What has been your biggest Lego-related disappointment?
When my mother didn’t want me to get other Lego technic sets . . . I lost interest in my basic Lego . . . .
10. What is your biggest Lego-related ambition?
Trying to convince teachers (in France) to use Lego in their classroom.
11. What would be your ideal Lego-related job?
To be a Six Bricks facilitator (I am actually working on my assignments to get the certificate).
Six Bricks is a concept designed to excite and motivate young children in the classroom to attain the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for success in later life. To help the formation of a young learner’s brain, developmentally appropriate early experiences and relationships are vital. In order to grasp concepts, children must be given time to manipulate concrete tools. They need opportunities to use their whole body to explore and aid their development of ideas, curiosity and imagination.The Six Bricks activities are short, simple exercises or games designed to wake up the brain and get the child moving, thinking and remembering. They support all areas of development in the curriculum. I am the only certified facilitator Six Bricks for France and Belgium. I speak fluently French and Dutch (which is my native language). Most of the over 550 activities of Six Bricks you can do with people in retirement homes, or for team-building in a company.
12. What is your favourite brick?
A 2×4 Duplo or Lego brick.
13. What is your favourite Lego set that you have?
Lego creator 3-in-1 31058 dinosaures.
14. Which Lego set do you most crave?
The Eiffel Tower (set 10181) or the grand piano (set 21323).
15. What is your favourite Lego theme?
Lego Boost
16. What should be the next big Lego theme?
Galactik football.
17. Which of your MOCs are you most proud of?
Hard to say: the 2 life-size shoes (Nike and Louboutin) that I created for a podiatrist and the chocolate bar for a shop window of a chocolate store.
18. What are you going to build next?
A holiday scene (during my next lego workshop).
19. Who (apart from me) is your favourite Lego builder?
@brick8brick and @tiagoreiscatarino (for their tutorials) @lego48x48 (for his mosaics) and @legobjectif (for his awesome builds, he is a 14 year old blind teenager).
20. What should I build next?
Snoopy!
Your wish is my command!
