Todd Sanders Makes Neon That Was Never Young

An East Texas native, Sanders painted signs in college before moving to Austin to learn neon, running a commercial sign company in the '90s before closing it to make art full-time — "I've been making vintage-style, weathered neon signs as fine art since 2005," he says. Each piece is hand-drawn, then bent in glass, mounted on metal, painted, and artificially aged with specialized weathering techniques. His own line for it is perfect: "I have a week to accomplish what Mother Nature takes 50 years to do."

Sanders works from Roadhouse Relics, his studio and gallery at 1720 S. First Street — a South Austin landmark in its own right. The same building carries the beloved "Greetings from Austin" postcard mural, which Sanders co-painted in 1998 and which has since become one of the city's most photographed walls. Inside, the gallery shows open-edition prints, limited-edition neon works, and takes custom commissions.

Sanders's work has found an unusually starry audience — his own gallery lists collectors including Willie Nelson, Billy F. Gibbons of ZZ Top, and Kacey Musgraves, among others — and his neon has turned up everywhere from Texas Monthly and Fast Company to films like Boyhood. He's even served as the "Official Neon Expert" on Pawn Stars. Beneath the celebrity glow, though, the appeal is simpler: as he puts it, "neon historically has given unique identities to businesses large and small, often serving as a beacon, beckoning passersby to come closer."

Visit roadhouserelics.com for the gallery, prints, and commissions, and follow new work on Instagram at @roadhouserelics. Open-edition prints start around $18.50, and original limited-edition neon works are available by contacting the gallery. In person, the studio and the "Greetings from Austin" mural are at 1720 S. First Street.

About this spotlight: an independent, unpaid feature, written because we admire the work — drawn from public sources, including the artist's own statement and gallery pages. All artwork and images are the artist's; see the work in full via the links above.