Neon Artist Makes Lighting a Gas

Neon's heyday, when "open" signs gave way to huge wall murals and fluorescent club decor, is decades past and not much missed. But forgoing the old methods of the 1980s, neon artist Matt Dilling has elevated the glowing glass tubes from "cheesy" to vogue. He did it by adding one more quality to neon’s arsenal of bright colors and endless shapes: pop culture.

Dilling, founder of Brooklyn's Lite Brite Neon Studio, brightened the residential décor landscape with his neon chandelier and wall sconce creations and has just added a floor lamp and table top candelabra to the collection. These fun forms are for neon what Andy Warhol was for Campbell’s, they make it interesting again, cool, whimsical and funny.

From the reserved Burberry line, for which he created a neon plaid, to the chichi Stella McCartney boutique for which he made a huge neon sign glowing “Girls, Girls, Girls,” Dilling’s neon far transcends the strip club style he now freely mocks. His lights are available at Brooklyn’s The Future Perfect.