Interview with Nannan Zhang

Hey guys and gals!

I took this interview, with expert MOCer and TBB member, many weeks ago, and I've unfortunately not had time to post it until now. So here we go, Nannan Zhang!

When did you start making MOCs? What drew you into the LEGO® hobby?

I’ve been making MOCs ever since I owned bricks, but it wasn’t until 2004 that I became much more involved in building. Seeing all the amazing creations on Brickshelf for the first time really inspired me to become a great builder myself.

How on earth did you manage to refine such an amazing style (the Whimsical World)? How do you plan your abstract creations?

Refining my style wasn’t a short process. It took me about three years to get to a proficient level of building; since then, I’ve been expanding my building themes and the size of my creations. My most recent diorama spans 4’X4’, which is something I didn’t expect myself to accomplish just a year ago. Many LEGO fans have associated my creations with an offbeat style, which are most apparent in my surrealist works. Planning for these creations and many other non-abstract ones usually come to me as an image in my mind. If the creation needs to be big, I usually place several Bricklink orders before beginning to build. Once I have the basic parts I need, it’s all non-stop building from there.

Where do you hope to go in the future? Will you continue as a LEGO®-certified professional, or take another career route? I've seen you are an exceptional viola player.Will you considering being a musician?

My future plans for LEGO will remain as an intensely involved hobby of building, collecting, selling, and blogging. My career goal is to become a doctor, which entails many more years of medical education and practice after I graduate from college. One of my lesser known hobbies to the LEGO community is music. I play the viola regularly and participate in concerts and recitals.

What, in your opinion, is your favourite creation, and why?

My favorite personal creation is Cry of Dreams, simply because its significance as a personal statement means the most to me. I have many favorite creations from other builders; you can see some of them in my Flickr gallery under “Favorites.” I like creations that are not only well built but also well presented and unique in their genres.

Many thanks to Nannan for answering those questions for me. Stay tuned for more great interviews (woah, did I just advertise my own interviewing skills? OMG!)