Kacie Lees

Neon is a medium of light, color, and atmosphere-at once iconic in commercial signage and radical in contemporary art. This course introduces students to the history and practice of neon, from early experiments to its use by contemporary makers. In the Light Lab, students will learn essential methods of tube bending, wiring, and installation, while also exploring neon's significance as both a craft tradition and a contemporary artistic medium.

We will look at how artists such as Bruce Nauman, Keith Sonnier, Joseph Kosuth, and Cerith Wyn Evans transformed neon into a language of sculpture, architecture, and experimental art. Readings on light, vision, and color theory will provide both scientific and conceptual grounding for studio practice. By the end of the semester, students will have created an original neon work that reflects their own creative vision.

Neon is an elemental medium that bridges craft and concept: from glass, fire, and noble gases, artists shape atmosphere, architecture, and space. Graduate Neon Workshop invites students from across disciplines to explore this luminous medium as both a technical practice and a critical language for contemporary art and design. In the Light Lab, students will gain hands-on experience with industry- standard equipment to bend glass tubing, explore color through gas and phosphor combinations, and develop completed projects with advanced conceptual frameworks.

Course discussions situate neon within historical and contemporary contexts¿from mid-century innovators like Cryssa, Lucio Fontana, and Nam June Paik to present-day artists such as Elaine Cameron Weir, Mary Weatherford, Glenn Ligon, and Demian DinéYazhi¿. Readings extend from technical guides to formative writings on color (Kandinsky), light as medium (Kepes), and the cultural semiotics of signage (Venturi & Scott Brown, Baudrillard).

Expect 3¿6 hours of additional studio time each week to support the complexity of this work. At midterm, students will present a simple, freestanding glass work based on techniques covered in class. At the end of the course, students will present an exhibition-ready neon artwork that integrates technical skill, material understanding, and conceptual intent.