50th Anniversary Crooked Tree Arts Center in LEGO

Hello, my name is Roldan Grace, and I would appreciate your support for my project:

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Crooked Tree Arts Center by building a LEGO scale model!

 

 

Goal for the Project: Display a one-of-a kind scale model of the Petoskey Crooked Tree Arts Center, designed and built by 16 year old LEGO builder and artist Roldan Grace, in the Crooked Tree Arts Center galleries, to serve as an attraction that will bring in guests and public, inspiring them to get involved and interested in CTAC's exhibits and programs.

 

Inspiration: As a LEGO builder and artist, the Crooked Tree Arts Center in downtown Petoskey has always stood out for me as an intriguing building due to its architecture and distinctive color scheme. Over the years, I have acted in plays at the Crooked Tree through the Little Traverse Civic Theatre and Concord Academy Petoskey, learned violin in its Gerber Strings Program, played percussion in its Orchestra, and participated in many pottery and visual arts classes, so it is a building that has personal meaning for me, as well as many others in and around Petoskey, because it is at the heart of our community.

 

 

In the Spring of 2020, when school was cancelled because of COVID-19, I was looking for a project as a way to make use of my extra time. I had previously built a 2300-piece scale model with LEGO of my school, Concord Academy Petoskey, in the Spring of 2019 (it is still displayed at the entrance hall of the school), so I felt I was ready to challenge myself with another building, this time a larger one. I decided that CTAC would be the right choice, because of its meaning to me personally and its status as a downtown Petoskey landmark.

 

 

Method of Design: After getting permission to take photographs of the outside of CTAC, I started designing the model using an architectural digital design program. I quickly realized I would need the blueprints of the building, which were kindly loaned to me by the facilities manager. I made contact with CTAC's president to explain my project. She was excited about the idea, but unfortunately CTAC was unable to help with funds for the project due to their operations being affected by the pandemic.

 

 

During the Spring of 2020, I built about 70% of the model digitally. The program requires the designer to select and place each LEGO brick individually, so it is a very labor intensive and time consuming process. I continued to take photographs and observe the building as I continued designing. Then school started, so I suspended the project until the following Spring of 2021, when I contacted the president of CTAC again, explaining that I would like to continue designing the project and wondering about displaying and fundraising possibilities. We met in June, and over the busy summer, board members met to try to come up with fundraising ideas for the project. In the meantime, I had taken a trip up to the roof with the facilities manager to add on the final touches of the roof elements. By the time I finished designing the model in June 2021, I had worked over a period of five months, 200+ hours, to complete the project.

 

 

Ultimately, the CTAC board determined that they would not be able to fund the LEGO pieces required to build the project, print the instructions or the display case that would be required to keep it dust and fingerprint free. However, and to clarify that this fundraising is not for personal profit; The Crooked Tree Arts Center agreed to:

• Support this fundraising, in order to obtain the necessary funds to realize the project.
• Help with communicating about it to their members and stakeholders, in order to promote it.
• Exhibit and display the building in the CTAC of Petoskey, for everyone to see.

I just need your help to purchase all that is needed to make this project a reality...

 

AND HERE IT IS:

 

 

 

The above images are digital renders, which are representations of the designed model. The model has not been built with bricks--yet!

 

Project Specifications:

Piece count: 6,000+

Measurements: 28" x 23" x 22"

Display Case & Base Cost: Approximately $300 - $500

Total Cost of Project: $2000

 

 

The Next Step: To get this fully-designed project into brick form, I will need to order the individual pieces (Here's where you get to help). I already have the list of all the pieces needed. I will then build the model using the instructions, which I have ready as well. And finally, although it took me months to design the LEGO CTAC, once I get the pieces, putting together the building should be done within 1-2 weeks, and then it will be ready to install at the Crooked Tree Arts Center. The hard part is already done!

 

How You Can Help:

• Donate any sum, every dollar is appreciated.
• Donate 100 Bricks = $25
• Donate 250 Bricks = $50 (may include 10 character name) *
• Donate 500 Bricks = $100 (may include 20 character name) *
• Donate the Display Case = $300 (may include bold 20 character name) -1 available *

*Donations of $50 or more may include your name or business name printed on a sticker that will be affixed to a brick on the model, as a Thank You for everyone to see (more details on how to order a printed name at the end of the page).

Finally, I would like to clarify and explain that this project is not to be considered a "toy".

LEGO is a respected artistic and architectural medium through which a number of world-known artists, including among others, Sean Kenney, Mike Doyle, Barney Main, Nathan Sawaya and Lane Heath have chosen to express themselves. LEGO bricks are made with high quality material and design, which allows them to last for many years and maintain their "clutch power," and therefore they are very flexible and an ideal material for construction at a small scale.

I always strive to build and design with LEGO on a professional level and my years of experience and study have prepared me for a project like LEGO CTAC. I am ready! I just need your help for me to materialize it.

 

Some of my Previous Works:

• Concord Academy Petoskey 2019 - Displayed at Concord Academy

 

 

• Endangered Insects 2019 - Judges' Choice Award Emmet-Charlevoix County Fair

 

 

• Harry and Hedwig in Winter 2019 - 2nd Runner Up LEGO Ideas (Worldwide Participation)

 

 

 

• The Last Organ Grinder 2020 - Place in the Top 10 LEGO Ideas Music to our Ears (Worldwide Participation)

 

 

Additional Personal Goals for this Project: I would like to become more well known in the community as a LEGO builder and artist. I want to continue to challenge myself using LEGO as my medium. I am hoping to work with individuals or businesses to do custom builds (If someone is interested in a custom build, please contact me), and hopefully, thanks to these efforts, sometime in the near future become a LEGO certified professional designer. This project counts as a big step towards the realization of my career, as well as benefiting the community by raising awareness about our wonderful arts center.

 

 

Thank you for your help.

Roldan A. Grace

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NOTE: If you choose to have your name printed on a sticker (for donations of $50 or more), once you donate, a window will appear that says "Thank you for your donation... Now help spread the word." At the bottom of this window, click on "Continue." Then another window will appear that says "Show more Support."  In that window, there is a space that says "I donated because..." In that space, you can write any comments that you would like to share and here's where you can specify the name as you would like it printed, then click the green "Post Comment" button.  If you have any trouble with this, there is a Contact button under "Organizer" at the bottom of the main page, where you can contact me directly and type there how you would like your name printed.