Growing up in Gustine, Zachery Ramos always had an affinity for Legos, often building and deconstructing sets to create unique masterpieces. Now, as an artist-in-residence at the Children’s Discovery Museum in San Jose, Ramos is sharing his passion and creativity with families every weekend from February through May.
"I've loved Legos since I was a kid," Ramos shared. "I was always building sets, then taking them apart to create something entirely different from the instructions. The limitless possibilities of Lego pieces allow for endless creativity, which is what draws me to this art form."
Ramos's residency involves teaching families about Lego art and leading new hands-on activities each month. Every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., visitors can learn from Ramos and create their own Lego designs to display at the museum. Since the beginning of his residency, Ramos has met over 2,000 enthusiastic families who have embraced his creative approach.
One of the challenges Ramos faces in his art is running out of specific pieces needed to complete a project. For instance, his ambitious Jurassic MOC (My Own Creation) required over 500 plant pieces to create trees, ground cover, and trails, but he ran out halfway through the project. Ordering replacements can take weeks, yet Ramos prefers not to glue his creations together, allowing him the flexibility to rebuild and transform his work whenever inspiration strikes.
Ramos has over 20 pieces on display at the museum, showcasing his diverse talents across multiple mediums. Among his creations are the Jurassic MOC, Lego Gustine MOC, brick-built insects, sketchbooks, paintings, books he has written, eight pixel canvasses, and photography pieces.
"My favorite piece has to be the Lego Gustine MOC," Ramos said. "I created it with my Traveling Library family. Friends, loved ones, and local families helped build the community scene, making the process more meaningful than the final product itself. Seeing everyone come together to contribute was an amazing experience."
Ramos's creative process varies depending on the type of art he is making. For pixel canvasses, he starts by graphing a photo and scaling it to match the size of the Lego baseplates. The process can take anywhere from 8 hours to 3 full days, depending on the size and availability of the right colors. He tries to keep thousands of 1x1 bricks on hand to avoid delays.
For MOCs, imagination is key. His Lego Gustine project involved recreating his hometown’s Main Street with vibrant colors, extra flowers, and even the OLM Cow Parade. These projects evolve over weeks as Ramos continues adding details, hidden Easter eggs, and fun characters for kids to discover.
In his photography work, Ramos uses mini Lego figures and props to create whimsical scenes of adventure and discovery. One of his favorites is an explorer feeding a brachiosaurus, which he shot using his planter and an iPhone. Ramos loves showing parents that art doesn’t require expensive equipment, just creativity and dedication.
"I’ve been working with Lego for years, but it took putting myself out there and applying for this residency to finally get my big break," Ramos reflected. "Now, I’m doing what I love in a city I never imagined I’d be working in like this."
