In so many ways nnenn‘s love of the Vic Viper epitomized what building with LEGO is: finding and creating ways to make a vast array of beautiful and varied things, limited only by imagination, skill, and budget. He was a craftsman and an artist pushing the boundaries of a seemingly limited form. There’s a certain beauty in that. His ability to combine sharp and organic forms was phenomenal.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
Posted on behalf of Keith Goldman – all words are his.
Nate turned me down when I asked him to join the crew for “Zero Hour on Highway 44”, what a diva….said something about not being inspired to build a car…and then posts this two months later. Instead…I had to go with Dave Shaddix. Think about that for a minute, I asked for nnenn, and I got Shaddix. I’ll never forgive him for that.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
As we’ve said, nnenn‘s building was as much about making fun toys for his sons to play with as it was about style.
This creation is a great example of where he really brought playability to his work. The roving city/base has a great style, and the aircraft with it aren’t shabby either. The great thing is, you don’t just get one of those things, you get them all. It looks like more fun than Autobot City, and I’m sure most kids could spend countless hours playing with this thing. I love it.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
Many remember nnenn‘s Ula-Kit 319 for its dynamic and unorthodox shape, but for others, they remember it as another spark that ignited the controversy surrounding nnenn’s use of modified and clone brand pieces. This spaceship from early 2007 was the third model from nnenn to be blogged on TBB, and already it has been noted for its non-purist construction. You can see examples in the blue tail fins, the textured inverse 2X2 slope in the cockpit, and the stickers that were meticulous cut from colored tape.
Up to this point, nnenn has been an active member of Classic Space Forums, on which he has made four posts in 2005 under his real name before assuming his anonymous identity that took over the community. He gained respect quickly from its members; but unfortunately, his notoriety as a non-purist grew at a faster rate. Later that year, nnenn would leave the forums and start fresh on Flickr, which has become his domain. In an interview on Brickjournal issue 8 a few months later, nnenn shared his views on his controversial building style.
Like the EVN mecha, this model has personal significance for me. I saw it during my freshman year in college at a time when my own building skills were still undeveloped. Seeing nnenn on the fast track to becoming a skilled builder in such a short time aroused my jealousy, and I made no effort to conceal it. From then, nnenn was my mysterious fascination. Like what Tyler Clites has said, he was Bigfoot – his image was blurry and his footprint was large. I too “despised” him.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
Naturally no one can argue that Nnenn is best known for his incredible fighters and starships. However, he did dabble in other genres as well. A friend reminded me today of this intricate set of medieval weapons.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
Understanding that nnenn built as much for his sons as for himself puts lovely microscale creations like this dropship in perspective.
It’s the perfect size for a child’s hands, with incredible play value packed into a tiny model. When I blogged this back in 2007, I remember thinking back to some of my favorite non-LEGO childhood toys that this evoked. Two itty-bitty vehicles that emerge from an adorable micro space ship? There’s not much more playable — or awesome — than that.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
I’m ashamed to admit that I sometimes dismissed Nate “nnenn” Nielson as a one-note builder, but in looking through his photostream again, I realize I couldn’t have been more wrong. It’s clear his LEGO talents went far beyond mere mastery of the small starfighter.
The Wayfinder’s shape is utilitarian, but the splashes of color lend it a cheery air that might make a trip across the barren lunar landscape more bearable.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
This mecha from late 2006 was my first introduction to the works of nnenn. New Brickshelf users seldom upload high quality images of well-built MOCs. There was something special in what I saw, the mecha had a distinct stance and style. The builder knew what he was doing yet I sensed he was relatively new to the medium by inference from the construction of the legs. I also had a hunch that whoever made this was going somewhere, and fast.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
My own favourite of nnenn‘s work is just over two years old now and a bit of a departure from his usual work. The incredible PX4-320b Ittadyma does a fantastic job of achieving a plausibility so rare in starships.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
Nate Nielson brought his unique design aesthetic to the 30th anniversary of LEGO Space last March, contributing model after model over the month. My favorite was this large craft from the humans.
Nate even introduced a completely new faction — the Ugokin — with their own color scheme and style.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
With the recent passing of legendary builder Nate Nielson, better known to all of us as “nnenn”, we’re going to spend the next week commemorating him with a retrospective of his best builds.
One of my all-time favorites is this microscale carrier:
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
Over the last couple of months, Keith has brought us joy every Sunday with his interviews. Today, the burden of responsibility falls on Keith’s shoulders to bring us tragic news…
It is my unpleasant duty to report the passing of our friend and fellow builder Nate “nnenn” Nielson. Nate’s death was the result of an automobile accident earlier this month. A resident of Tekoa, Washington, Nate was a father, an artist, and a professor specializing in graphic design. Nate is survived by his beloved wife and two sons ages 3 and 8.
It is important to Nate’s family that he is remembered by our community, one that he took great joy in participating in. Above all they want Nate to be remembered as a devoted husband and father, and for us to know that his interest in the brick was inseparable from his love for his boys. Nate was notorious for his brevity, and when I was searching through his models, interviews, and comments for inspiration, this quote jumped off the screen:
“Ha! Spring break a week ago. Rainy day today. No friends. Two boys.”
Nate’s other great passion was teaching the principles of design and graphic art, something that should seem obvious to our community. It was Nate’s goal to encourage others and to push people to their creative potential. In our small corner of the universe, I think it is safe to say: mission accomplished, Nate.
I didn’t know Nate very well, certainly not as well as I would have liked. We did however share a love of the brick, 70’s sci-fi and being a father. I always imagined I’d run into nnenn at a convention…that he’d slip out of the crowd on public-day looking like a dead ringer for Christopher Walken. In this fantasy he would walk up to my model on display and say something like:
“Guess what Goldman?! I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription… is more cowbell”.
I’ve always been a fan of Nate’s models, even when I initially disliked him in a superficial way for his heretical tendencies with my sacred bricks. In time I grew to respect him for his uncompromising stance and commitment to form over purist devotion. It was my distinct pleasure to interview nnenn last month, and in the process we exchanged some fun emails; I only wish I’d asked better questions.
You know a builder is big-time when he not only gets an entire scale named after him, but an element as well. Nnenn’s consistent level of quality and production since his debut in late 2006 is nothing short of extraordinary. I can say without exaggeration that Nate influenced a generation of builders, and even an old man or two like me. Nate had 1347 contacts on Flickr, 1347 students for a guy who loved to teach. I think time will prove that he taught us well.
For those of you missed it, James Wadsworth of LAML Radio conducted an audio interview with Nate last summer. Tom over at Masoko Tanga also has a wonderful interview with Nate on his site.
I’m organizing a fly-in style community build for the Brickworld 2010 fan convention in Chicago, and potentially at BrickCon 2010 in Seattle. Anyone who is interested in celebrating the life and models of nnenn is invited to bring or mail a small space-fighter in his iconic Vic Viper style to the convention. The vipers will be arranged in the traditional “missing man formation” common to air forces around the world.
Nate drew inspiration from his father who served the US as an F-16 fighter pilot, making the fly-in seem even more appropriate. So if you’d like to participate in the formation, contact me at Legomankeith AT aol DOT com for further details.
It only seems fitting to close this tribute to a legend with a word or two from some familiar voices in the community. The Brothers Brick and I invite all of you to add your thoughts to this memorial guestbook. There is no rhyme or reason to these first 20 fans; they are simply friends that I reached out to, to help make sense of Nate’s untimely passing. The one exception is Peter L. Morris, who contacted me after speaking directly with Nate’s widow and graciously invited me to participate in this tribute. Pete was closer to Nate than most of us, and his insights into Nate as a friend have been invaluable as we prepared this tribute.
Rest in peace nnenn, you’ll be missed.
Read the guestbook and leave your own comments after the jump: Continue reading