Brick by Brick: Building a Career in Lego

^{Graeme Dymond Vic 0T6, founder of Dymond Bricks, is one of a small number of LEGO Certified Professionals worldwide, and recently returned to Victoria University to lead an alumni and families workshop exploring creative building with LEGO.}

By Leslie Shepherd

Graeme Dymond Vic 0T6 remembers the assignment clearly. His kindergarten teacher asked students to draw a picture of what they wanted to do when they grew up. As a child, he took the question literally. What did he enjoy doing most? Playing with LEGO. So that’s what he drew.

“The teacher, in a very caring and sincere way, said, ‘This is wonderful. I hope you do keep playing with LEGO when you grow up. But why don’t we draw another picture with a job you’d like to have?’”

He did, but LEGO remained a passion and became his profession.

Today, Dymond is one of only a small number of LEGO Certified Professionals in the world and runs his own business, Dymond Bricks. He recently returned to Victoria University to share his enthusiasm for the plastic interlocking blocks and skills in building with them.

^{Vic Alumni and their families were invited to an exclusive hands-on workshop led by Dymond. (Photo by Dewey Chang)}

Dymond was a commuter student at Vic, but he immersed himself in university life. He was the VUSAC representative for commuter students, helped produce a newsletter and performed in a student play written by David West Read Vic 0T6, who later wrote for Schitt’s Creek and & Juliet. LEGO was another way to unwind between papers and assignments en route to an honours B.A. in history, linguistic and semiotic anthropology.

Some of the most lasting influences came from the classroom, where certain courses and professors shaped how he understood art, ideas and storytelling.

Courses in Renaissance Studies taught by Kenneth Bartlett and Konrad Eisenbichler introduced him to the long tradition of artists working on commission. During the Renaissance, wealthy families and nobility funded artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo to produce works that reflected their power and influence.

Dymond is quick to note—with a laugh—that he’s not putting himself in the same league as those masters. Still, he sees a parallel in the underlying idea: artists using their craft to communicate, shape perception, and bring complex ideas to life.

His own work follows a similar logic: taking abstract concepts and turning them into physical form such as LEGO models of buildings or large-scale installations.

“I'm effectively now running my own little bottega, my own little art studio, where we're creating our own art, but also art that's commissioned for clients around the globe and large corporations, whether it's Amazon or Disney or Google,” he said.

Dymond was first a LEGOLAND Master Model Builder, creating large-scale sculptures and leading public programming, all for Legoland. He later established his own studio as a LEGO Certified Professional, an independent role that allows him to take on commissioned work for clients around the world. There are only about 25 LEGO Certified Professionals worldwide.

Some projects stand out.

One was a model of IBM’s quantum computer, a chandelier-like structure of suspended disks and intricate wiring that looked straight out of science fiction. The months-long build combined creative design with technical problem-solving, including the challenge of suspending its complex components.

Another was more personal: a Duplo castle he built with his children at a fan event, which quickly became a gathering place for other kids.

“Sometimes Lego can seem like a very individualized activity. It's 'here's your pieces, here's a set and go and build.' But I love to see it as a way of building bridges and building those connections and bringing people together.”

Originally published in the Spring 2026 issue of Vic Report.

This edition features Kathleen Wynne reflecting on teaching at Victoria College, a Q&A with Professor Ira Wells on his role as president of PEN Canada, and Bob Rae’s return to Vic One after his UN tenure.

Read the full issue →