This week we get a special treat as I got to connect with John and Justin a team of lego creators who are representing the LGBTQIAA+ community on the Lego Masters TV show. T
When did you get started in building with LEGO? What was the first set that made you fall in love with them?
JOHN: I first fell in love with LEGO in second grade. That Christmas, I asked Santa for one of LEGO’s first pirate ship sets. It had fabric sails, cannonballs, an anchor, and crazy hidden details all over the ship. I was instantly hooked…pun not intended, but Will would appreciate it.
JUSTIN: I have really fond memories of building with LEGO as a kid! My favorite sets at the time were the Islanders theme, and I remember loving building sets with Majisto and the dragons! I wish I still had the sets from my childhood!
How did the John and Justin team get formed?
JUSTIN: John and I met through our LEGO Instagram accounts a few years back, and quickly discovered that he and my husband Phillip, knew each other years ago when John lived in Austin! When applying for season five, Phillip was unable to go, so I reached out to John, whom I’d gotten to know more through our involvement in GayFOLs. It’s an online LEGO club that gives LGBTQ+ fans and allies a safe, welcoming space to connect and build community. I knew his skills as a builder, and knew our personalities meshed well, but our first time building together was through the show!
JOHN: Justin and I had great building chemistry from the start, and it was such a full-circle moment when we realized I’d known Phillip from when I used to live in Austin years ago. But what really stood out to me was how intentional and collaborative Justin is. Once we started talking seriously about teaming up, everything clicked. We both come from storytelling backgrounds: mine is in PR and storytelling, Justin’s in coaching and community-building. That definitely shaped the way we approached each challenge. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend and teammate to go on this wild journey with.
How did your team get prepared to be on LEGO Masters?
JOHN: I think we both trained in our own way. I spent hours working on MOC challenges and practicing different building techniques I hadn’t used before, especially ones that pushed me out of my comfort zone. And I made both of us rewatch a lot of previous LEGO Masters episodes, then talk through each challenge: “If we had to build for this, what would we do?” It turned out to be great prep. It helped us understand what types of builds each of us gravitated toward, how we could quickly agree on a concept under pressure, divvy up responsibilities, and jump into the challenge with a shared mindset. That communication work ahead of time really paid off once we got into the build room.
JUSTIN: In 2023, I had been building one build a day following prompts in a daily calendar, along with building a lot of other things! I knew I needed to continue sharing the daily builds on Instagram so others wouldn’t suspect, so I built eight weeks of daily builds for ready to go content! I also focused on practicing build techniques that I hadn’t used as often, and bought a couple of LEGO sets that were very different from my typical builds.
Do you have any special techniques or approaches you are going to take for the builds on the show?
JOHN: My focus was all about scale, structure, and storytelling. Visually, I focused on structural integrity and architectural techniques that could support a larger build while still reinforcing the story we wanted to tell. Justin is brilliant with character design and fine detail, while I’m all about building environments and setting the scene. That balance worked really well for us. But one of the biggest takeaways for me from the show was how important motion can be to bringing a build to life. I think we both learned how amazing a build can be when you use power functions and motors to bring it to life. Now, I always try to think through how I can animate my MOCs. Movement adds magic, making the storytelling even more dynamic.
JUSTIN: I love to build brick-built characters, and have practiced a lot of SNOT-building techniques. This silly acronym means Studs Not On Top, and refers to builds that expand beyond building one brick on top of another by using bricks with studs on the sides. SNOT-building allows for more detail and smoother shaping in builds. I’ve shared a number of YouTube tutorials for various build techniques, many of which we used on LEGO Masters! For any aspiring LEGO Masters contestant, I recommend checking out my Lowell Sphere tutorial in particular!
What is your favorite original creation you have done?
JOHN: One of my favorite original builds is my “Lone Star Cactus,” which is a 4.5-foot-tall Texas-themed display piece I designed for a public LEGO event. I designed and built the cactus using Technic and traditional LEGO parts, giving it an organic, textured look with vibrant, brick-built red and yellow wildflowers blooming from two of the cactus’ stems. It debuted at Brick Rodeo in Austin as part of our DFWLUG’s member builds. Seeing people interact with it made all the long nights totally worth it. It was honestly one of my most technically challenging builds I’ve ever done, so I’m incredibly proud of how it turned out.
JUSTIN: In July 2024, I built a 3.5ft tall tribute to the original Wicked Musical Playbill for the 20th anniversary of its Broadway run, the same year as the first film came out! The piece is titled “For Good”, and is full of hidden details and fun LEGO Easter Eggs! For instance, the top reads ‘Playwell’, as LEGO in Danish is Play Well!
When you are not doing LEGO creations, what does the team do?
JOHN: When I’m not building with LEGO, I love watching movies, getting in a good workout, and taking my husky mix, Jake, on long walks. He’s the real boss of the house. I’m also a big brunch guy and love catching up with friends or taking trips to visit my family. Outside of that, I stay pretty busy running my PR consultancy, JWPR, and I’m also the co-founder of Sēkwl Beverage House, a brand that makes adaptogenic sparkling water with functional mushrooms. I serve on a few boards as well, including Dallas Hope Charities; my alma mater TCU and the Schieffer College of Communication; and the LEGO fan convention in Austin called Brick Rodeo. It’s a full plate, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
JUSTIN: I love to sing, read, watch movies, decorate for ALL the holidays, and host parties with my husband! We love to make everything into a celebration! Professionally, I am an organizational leadership consultant and coach, and incorporate LEGO into my work with my clients. I’m also a Recognized LEGO Fan Media Ambassador, and my content creation focuses on building kindness through the brick!
So, not to jinx you, but if you won the competition, do you have any idea what you would do with the prize?
JOHN: My fingers are crossed as I answer this! First, I’d finally build out a dedicated LEGO studio space at home — something designed specifically for creative building, filming, and storage. I’d also surprise my seven nieces and nephews with an epic LEGO haul or experience (don’t tell them!). My nieces and nephews have been cheering me on, and I’m lucky to have a super supportive family behind me. They all deserve to share in the fun. And I’d donate a portion of the winnings to Dallas Hope Charities, a nonprofit here in Dallas where I serve on the Board. They do incredible work supporting LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness, and I’d love to give back in a meaningful way.
JUSTIN: Growing and expanding my consulting and commissions businesses, for sure! And taking a dream vacation with my husband to explore some place we’ve not yet been!
If people want to follow you on your journey or get more information about your creations, where should they go?
JOHN: Follow me at @brickbuilderjohn on Instagram. I post a lot about my life as an AFOL, new MOCs I’m working on, and where I’m traveling to next with my SigFig. I’ll also be launching a website soon at www.brickbuilderjohn.com with commission details, blog content, and more.
JUSTIN: I can be found on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok as @bradyjoynerbricks and can be reached for commissions and consulting at https://www.bradyjoynerbricks.com/
Final four questions – we ask everybody.
When the zombies take over the world, where will you be?
JOHN: If you’re someone like me who builds structures and wild contraptions out of LEGO, you’re probably the guy engineering the safe zone. I’ll be the one rigging makeshift defenses out of whatever I can find… When it comes down to it, yes, I’ll join the fight, but I’ll still be trying to get a Wi-Fi signal and a hot cup of coffee while doing it.
JUSTIN: Probably building in the LEGO room, listening to vinyls, without a clue that it’s happening! I’d hear the noises in the other room and assume it was my husband Phillip watching his scary shows! 
What is your favorite Fandom (could be sports, pop culture, favorite director or author)
JOHN: My ultimate fandom? Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I still dream of being a member of the Scooby Gang. If you love Buffy and want to geek out over Sarah Michelle Gellar’s perfect portrayal as The Chosen One, come sit next to me. Also, I’m unapologetically Team Angel. Sorry, not sorry, Spike.
JUSTIN: Musical Theatre all the way! I’m a true theatre kid at heart, and there’s nothing that compares to performing on stage! (Fun fact: I was performing in Annie at the Zilker Theatre Productions outdoor summer musical in Austin, TX the summer I met my husband! Fast forward 2+ years and he proposed to me on the Broadway stage of Kinky Boots with the original cast there to cheer us on!) Favorite show is Into the Woods, and dream role would be the Wizard in Wicked!
What piece of art, be it in the form of music, a book, a film or picture, do you think people must experience before they die?
JOHN: Everyone should watch The Wizard of Oz at least once in their life. And I mean, really watch it. It’s more than just a classic. It’s a masterpiece of color, creativity, and storytelling. The transition shots from sepia to Technicolor alone still give me chills. It reminds you of the power of imagination and what it means to find courage, heart, and home, which are lessons we all need, no matter how old we are.
JUSTIN: I HIGHLY recommend everyone to visit the Victoria & Albert museum in London, and to follow the LGBTQ+ Tour guidance, put together by the LGBTQ+ employee group. Seeing the busts of Hadrian and Antinous and learning the queer history was powerful, and I was so impressed with the historical detail and information provided. It gave me a deeper connection to the broader queer community, and helped me learn new ways to explore and understand art.
Give one fact that most people would not believe about you?
JOHN: This may sound kind of hoarder-like behavior, but I’ve saved every single movie and concert ticket stub I’ve ever been to. Ever. I’m talking from the ‘90s to now. I’m now in a battle with the age of QR codes, and I will still go out of my way to the box office to get a printed stub. There’s just something about holding onto that tangible piece of memory that feels important to me. It’s like looking back through a scrapbook of the best nights of your life.
JUSTIN: I didn’t take my first international trip until I was 36 years old. I previously thought traveling internationally was too expensive, and now I see it as an absolute must for anyone! There can be affordable ways to travel, and it’s crucial to get outside of our own experience and see how others live.
Tune-In:
LEGO Masters airs Mondays (8:00 pm ET/PT) on FOX, streaming next day on Hulu.
Images courtesy of LEGO MASTERS: . CR: Tom Griscom/FOX. ©2025 FOX MEDIA LLC.
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