Builder Showcase - Fedde "Karf Oohlu" Barendrecht

I've come to expect several things in my daily browsing of Flickr: To be amazed that Yahoo has changed yet something else, someone will have a picture of a LEGO Stormtrooper doing something, and a new MOC from Karf. I can think of no more prolific builder than this unassuming man from down under, and he continuities to amaze and delight me with daily offerings of whimsy and humor. 

I'm pleased to let you all get to know him a little better.

Tell us a little about yourself, how did you get started in the hobby?

I'm a late bloomer, bought my first Lego set eight years ago, though I did have some light interaction during my son's brief excursion into Lego, but he discovered girls at an early age and Lego never got another look in.
I've always liked doing things with my hands, used to paint and sculpt, then got heavily into building AFVs, both kit and scratch-built, but sold the house where I'd been doing it, the place had a big work shed, nowadays I no longer have the space for that stuff, Then I discovered the possibilities of Lego. Which takes us back to the opening line, eight years ago I met an AFOL for the first time, and I saw what he was doing with these kiddie bricks and how well the finished results looked.

What is your earliest LEGO memory?

Damn, should have read ahead, please see preceding answer for answer.

P.S. When I was a kid I'd never heard of Lego, though I had a mate who owned a cool building block collection. They were dark brick red, fairly wide and thin in build, and best I can recall all there was were 2x2, 2x4 plates, some roof shaped pieces and not much else.

What drives you to create?

The number 127 bus out of Ashgrove, and the place isn't called Create anymore (not since the......accident) we call it Happy Thoughts now. Sorry, I'm just a very curious fellow I guess, who's somewhat chaotic in nature, and it's fun and relaxing to just fiddle and let the bricks show off their own magic.

Would you call yourself a purist (no cutting, painting, knockoff)?

As a rule yes, but I have cut up pneumatic hose and a couple of 1x4 rods to keep on hand as needed, but otherwise straight Lego, no paint, no non-Lego parts.


Do you have any favorite builder(s)?

Yes, I do.

Do you ever look back on old MOCs and say "if I only…"

What? as in if only I had the parts to have done such and such? At times, but I have to weigh sense with cents and compromise, though at the rate I build, they normally don't get the chance to get old or pondered over, have to make space for the next new thing.


Tell us about your building area.

Cramped, but comfortably cramped. It's my bedroom, computer room, entertainment centre, Lego storage, 'dog house' as my little puppy sleeps on the queen sized bed which squeezes in there, just, said bed is also my photo shoot table. Oh, and it's also my office. It kind of sounds like my room is a Swiss army knife.

Do you have a time of day when you build most productively?

Night time, I'm not a morning person, learned very early on not to be too keen with the brick till after lunch, spills in this room are nasty to recover. I am missing a few more bricks then available hiding spots are surely able to contain (restrain).

You build so prolifically, tell us about that.

I'll refer you back to sone previous answers here ie 'What drives you to create?' and '
Tell us about your building area.'. Plus I work from home, go into the office once a month, it's tough but I manage it. So, when I have a bit of downtime, I can always play with the bricks. It's hard to get bored with them.

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Do you listen to music while you build?

I'm listening to Van der Graaf Generator as I type this. Music (listening to it) has always been high on my daily activities. Big into the ol' prog rock/acid rock, I'm a child of the 60s-70s. Give me some early Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, and so many other awesome bands. Good times.

Do you keep all your MOCs? If so, do you display them?

Not as such, would be nice but only have a couple of small display cases. Some smaller mocs, especially if they're not hogging choice pieces survive for quite awhile.

Do you have an all time favorite LEGO set?

Not really, I trend to prefer Bricklink for my building needs, but I did have much love for the Exoforce range.

If you could pick a single creation of yours for permanent display somewhere notable, what and where would it be

A hard one, probably "The Tonka Truck". Apart from being my biggest build, I just had so much fun with it and the myriad of side mocs that it generated. Where?...not sure...The Great Wall of China in an outdoor display case. Get a lot of viewing coverage and they could say it's a new prototype for protection against possible further Mongol invasions...honest.


Which of your MOCs would you say personifies you?

Hmm, I guess it would be "...silly old Pooh...", 
Silly slapstick/tongue in cheek humour, that's a big part of being me.