Century City lego artist builds up collection

Although Century City may be characterized by its masses of business suits and packed corporate schedules, the employees and inhabitants of the busy enclave find ways to juggle the all-day office job as well as their hobbies and interests.

Artist David Tracy, who works in investment banking in Century City, maintains his passion for art and impressively balances both realms of his life with his works on display throughout the surrounding region.

“Art has been a lifelong interest of mine,” Tracy said. “Everybody in my family has had a passion about some form of art – my little brother has been a photographer, my dad is a watercolor artist, my mom and sister both play the piano, and my other sister does craftwork – so it’s been an innate interest.”

Tracy has endeavored in Lego artwork for the past seven years, but he has “done everything under the sun” from paintings to drawings to sculptures since he was six years old.

“In college I started architecture, and that was a great way to explore a different medium of art,” Tracy explained.

His curiosity with Lego evolved from an interest in the concept of turning a simple square block into a work of art.

“Legos are just little squares, but they can be made them into basically anything,” Tracy said. “There’s so much loaded into a little Lego brick that most people wouldn’t expect.”

Tracy finds value in the essence of the Lego itself, as the toy is a common childhood staple during playtime and often brings about pleasant, nostalgic memories.

“Legos are fun and colorful with warm associations,” Tracy said. “If I can take that medium and mold it into something that’s thoughtful and beautiful, my piece of artwork will then have subliminal characteristics of fun, color, and childhood fun.”

The artist produces a handful of Lego artworks per year. Although he would like to create on a more consistent level, Legos have proven to be a costly and time-consuming medium. Even so, Tracy has created a variety of pieces through this unlikely medium, despite the meticulousness of the process.

“The smallest creation I’ve made is just under 3,000 pieces,” Tracy said. “The largest piece I’ve made took tens of thousands of Lego pieces.”

Tracy particularly enjoys making pieces of furniture with Lego and has the opportunity to create a variety of different objects.

“My greatest interest is specifically in making lamps,” Tracy said. “But I do get miscellaneous requests from clients. I’ve gotten asked to make wedding anniversary gifts […] A woman also once asked me to create an urn for her 14-year-old son who had passed away. There are a lot of unique things that folks ask me to build, typically items that wouldn’t otherwise cross my mind.”

It’s safe to say that Tracy’s artistry has been met with success, as his works are displayed at several notable locations throughout the Los Angeles area.

“There is a duplicate of one of my lamp creations at the Warner Brothers offices [in lieu of the Lego Movie],” Tracy said. “I have a piece at a museum in Glendale, as well as the Bergamot Station in Santa Monica.”

Of course, it makes sense that Century City also features Tracy’s art: one of his signature Lego lamps can be viewed in the lobby of the David Barton Gym.

Despite the inevitable busyness that accompanies balancing a beloved hobby as well as a full-time occupation, Tracy referred to his artistry as an interest that he wants to continue to do throughout his life.

For more information on David Tracy, visit davidtrumantracy.com.