A well-known Portstewart figure who goes by the name of ‘The Lego Man’ has just completed his biggest masterpiece to date using the bricks — a four-and-a-half-foot long scale model of Titanic.
DJ Calvert, who was born without limbs, spent 50 hours over four weeks working on his replica of the doomed Belfast-built liner.
He uses a variety of tools, including a screwdriver to remove pieces and tweezers to help sort them into sizes and colours — he even uses his teeth to open bags.
DJ, aka Desmond James, has faced many challenges, but is determined not to let his disability stop him from doing what he loves.
Born five weeks prematurely in 1973 with no arms to the elbow nor legs to the knee, he has had to overcome physical obstacles every day of his life.
Although Lego isn’t particularly easy to use, that doesn’t put him off his hobby.
He has built more than 200 sets — and has the same number again stashed and ready to be constructed in the future.
Having received his first set aged eight, he finds working with the plastic bricks “therapeutic”.
He said: “Lego wasn’t designed for people with my disability, because even having fingers, some of the parts are fiddly to put together — but I still manage because I love it.
“My aim is to show people you can do anything, and I want to inspire younger generations who are overcoming the same difficulties as me that they can still do things like this, even if it wasn’t designed with them in mind.
“I have personally found Lego very helpful. I go into the room, stick some music on and work away for a couple of hours.
“By the time I come out, whatever mood I was in when I went in, I’m feeling 100%. It’s brilliant, and the more I can spread the word about the benefits of Lego the better.”
DJ Calvert with his trailer displaying the ‘Lego Man’ logo
DJ spent two to three hours every day to complete Titanic, the third biggest Lego set after its world map and Eiffel Tower.
Released in 2021, it consists of 9,090 pieces and cost £450.
A new kitchen installation allowed him the room to build the replica of the ship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1912 after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic.
He explained: “I have a Lego room in my house where I do most of the builds, but the table wouldn’t have been big enough.
“This new (kitchen) island is a good height for me to sit at in my wheelchair and I don’t have to lean down. I do eat at it sometimes, but for now it’s for the Lego!
“I would sometimes get a bad back because I have arthritis and it would be sore sitting for long periods, but this hasn’t been as bad.
“I hadn’t built for a while, but this Titanic set has got me back into it again.
“I would split it up into sections on different days and didn’t put myself under any pressure to get it finished by a certain time.
“I just built when I wanted to because it makes it more enjoyable, and I can concentrate better when no one is hounding you to get the thing finished.”
He’s hoping to display it at Brick Show Ireland next month in Letterkenny.
“I think for this upcoming show I might go with a local theme; obviously the history of the Titanic is mega, it’s infamous, and was only built a few miles down the road from me.
“And I also have a DeLorean set I might bring with me — another famous export from here.”
Find out more about DJ’s work on Twitter @DJTheLEGOMan or on Facebook at Facebook.com/djcalvert