Animated Neon Eye for Simon Moretti

I was recently approached by the artist Simon Moretti to re-appraise a piece he had previously had made of a single neon eye and he was looking to add an additional layer of neon and animate the two together. Simon sent me the visual below as a guide to what he was looking to achieve.

The glass used was 10mm White 3500K for the lashes and lower eye and 10mm standard green for the iris on the first layer with 10mm White 4500K and 10mm Super Blue iris on the second layer.

The two separate eyes were mounted using 70mm high tube supports for the outer layer, with the same tube supports cut down to 25mm for the lower bottom layer.

In these photos I have rigged the piece up on my bench over the installation drawing to check that it all fits together correctly.  The electrodes and joining pieces of glass were painted out in a grey paint.

This picture shows the two separate transformers and two way flasher unit that was used to animate the two eyes.

 

A short video of the neon piece flashing from one channel to the other to check and adjust the speed of flash.

The Iconic Image of Che Guevara in Neon

 The Iconic Image of Che Guevara reproduced in Neon

The iconic image of Che Guevara, shown here in neon, and originally taken by photographer Alberto Kordo on 5th March 1960, is one of the most recognised and reproduced images of the 20th Century. The terrible irony being that the reproduced image, sold on printed  t-shirts, posters and any other number of items is a product of a capitalist society so hated by the anti-capitalist Marxist, Che Guevara, a man who dreamt of a classless society and the abolition on money.

The piece was made using 10mm uncoated cobalt blue glass filled with blue gas (argon/neon mix), 10mm clear glass filled with blue gas, 10mm uncoated cobalt blue filled with neon gas, 10mm coated ruby filled with blue gas and a small piece of 10mm coated cobalt blue filled with neon and features the small neon star pictured above which sits on the beret that he is wearing.

Initially I asked to make this for a client but felt quite early on within the process that I wouldn't be able to live up to his expectations and returned his deposit in full. Having already done the drawings I decided to make the piece anyhow and was very happy with the results and no money has changed hands other than the purchase of the glass.

I am located in Farnham, Surrey in the UK. Any commissions or enquiries for the manufacture or installation of any neon sign projects, sculpture or neon artworks that you are thinking of, please contact me through my email address as shown in my contact details.

Blue Neon Cat

10mm clear blue neon cat mounted onto an old neon beer sign frame.

Doug Solyan, Uptown Neon, Richmond VA 23220

I recently had the most enjoyable visit to see Doug Solyan at Uptown Neon, 2629 W Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23220, for the first time since 1994. Doug is one of the two people, who back in 1988, introduced me to the wonderful world of neon and got me started on my life long career and obsession.

His beautiful neon shop on West Cary Street is an Aladdin's cave for any devotee of neon, with thousands of pieces of old and reclaimed neon sections hanging from the ceiling, numerous neon signs and a collection of neon clocks, the envy of any museum.

Doug got started back in the early 1980's and taught himself glass bending with the help of his friend and mentor, Mr Rudd at Talley Neon. He is now responsible for the vast majority of the neon signs scattered liberally across the diners, shops and restaurants of Richmond. 

Doug's obsession with neon isn't confined to the work place and the front of his house, in the Fan District, is always decorated with a couple of pieces of seasonal neon, hung in the windows of the porch, for the delight of the local residents and passers by. While I was there for three weeks, it went from neon pumpkins to neon maple leaves to neon turkeys.

Click here for a link to a beautiful, short film made about Doug back in 2015

Doug, now 74 years old, has no plans for retiring and enjoys every day that he's in the neon shop. Thank you so much for your time Doug, you are an inspiration to many. I hope to be back soon.

Doug Solyan +1 804 358 6243

The Parisian Tabac Neon Spiral

There's nothing like a Parisian Tabac's neon spirals...

Neon Sign, Merton Road SW18

If you need  Tyres, Exhausts and Batteries, then purchasing them from Sothfields Tyre & Battery Service, 288 Merton Road, SW18 will afford you this wonderful neon vista. Why shop elsewhere ?

The "Dutch Masters"; At it again.

With the help and support of the local community two Dutch artists, Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahan, have helped transform 34 houses in Santa Marta, one of Rio de Janeiro's most rundown neighbourhoods, into a stunning piece of urban art. The project called O Morro (The Hill) has allowed the locals to recieve a small wage while working as well as invaluable training in all aspects of painting.


Jeroen and Koolhaas started working together in 2005 while filming a documentory about the hip hop movement in the favelas of Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro. In 2006 they embarked on one of two massive murals, the first, three stories high and covering 150 square metres. The massive picture, of a boy flying a kite, took over 3 months to complete with the invalueable help of local youth and has since recieved worldwide aclaim.

Check out their facebook page and website for more information and to give a donation to the project.

It's not all Neon Signs...

Much as I love the "Neon Sign" in all its various forms, I've  always been interested in Mankind's need to make his mark on his surroundings. From the fabulous cave painting at Lascaux in France to our modern day graffiti, it would seem that we have an inbuilt need to mark our territory. Here's a few examples that I've spotted along the way.

This was one of many hundreds of carvings, dating back several hundred, years on a rocky outcrop at "Little Switzerland" in Luxembourg.

This was spotted carved into a prickly pear on the island of Paxos, Greece.

Again in Paxos, this old olive tree and rock have been used to mark the boundries of an olive grove.

I photgraphed the above while working at the Venice Bienalle in 2009. Remarkably there is a surprisingly large ammount of graffiti throughout Venice, "Queen of the Adriatic".

Also spotted in Venice this beautiful stove enameled sign reading "Dangerous to Touch".

And finally...Not elegant but to the point.

It doesn't get much better than this.....

The Neon Museum in Las Vegas is host to more than 150 of the cities old and iconic neon signs dating back as far as the 1930's. Established in 1996 the museum started with a sizable donation from the Young Elecric Sign Company (YESCO) who gave over their "bone yard" of old and retired signs.

The museum is currently undergoing a major refurbishment which will include a new visitors centre and will allow their fantastic collection the space it needs to be properly displayed.

The Neon Museum's mission is to collect, preserve, study and exhibit neon signs and associated artifacts to inspire educational and cultural enrichment.

Although the "Bone Yard" is currently closed while the refurbishment takes place it is still possible to arrange, by prior appointment, a visit to this fantastic collection before they reopen in 2011.

A superb selection of signs from the golden days of Las Vegas. Don't forget your camera.

Don't miss this...Neon Spectacular

Here's a fantastic neon show being put on by the City of West Hollywood in conjunction with MONA (Museum of Neon Art) as part of the Art on the Outside Project. With an opening ceremony on August 5th. from 7.30-9.30.  A guide to Vintage and Contempory outdoor neon on Historic Route 66 and the Sunset Strip would seem to be a must.

You can even download a tour map showing a route through West Hollywood with over 50 neon signs.

Can someone please go on my behalf and report back with some pictures.

Happy Birthday Neon Neon

As of tomorrow, August 1st. 2010, it will be 17 years since I started trading as Neon Neon from my studio in Farnham. So how much neon have I produced in that time? As a rough calculation, I reckon it's into the 10's of 1000's of individual neon sections probably equating to 100's of miles of neon tubing. A lot of cuts, a lot of burns and a lot of late nights. But I still have the satisfaction of seeing some of my original pieces still up and running. More often than not it's the shop or the club that seem to stop trading before the neon stops working.

Roll on the next 17 years.