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It's been a busy week! A few days ago I was notified that I won Honorable Mention in a National Design Competition, and today I picked up May's issue of Southern Living Magazine. On page 26 there I was! The article is a comparison of Austin vs Nashville, and under the artists section, Roadhouse Relics was chosen to represent Austin. The Nashville artist was Hatch Show Print. Not bad company to be in! I'm a huge fan of Hatch.
The opening page has the writer Jennifer McKenzie Frazier standing in front of my funky old trailer with the 12' Austin neon sign above. It's a beautiful shot.The photographer was Robbie Caponetto (robbiecaponetto.com). I've included another photo that he took of me in front of the trailer.
You can view their site at
The article reads"Jennifer says: At Roadhouse Relics, Austin neon artist Todd Sanders makes the new old again. Owners of barbecue joints, bars, pizza parlors, hotels- and pretty much anybody else who wants the vintage hum of a neon sign- come to Todd's South Austin shop at 1720 South First Street. roadhouserelics.com"
I'm very proud to be a part of what makes people love Austin. I feel that I have a debt to repay to Austin. It has been a great town to live in, and it has shaped me as an artist. Get your copy today, it's a great magazine. Oh, and if you want a great custom made vintage neon sign for your home or business, visit Roadhouse Relics.
I recently entered a National Neon Design Competition, and was awarded Honorable Mention. It was held by THE NEON GROUP.
I was urged to enter the design competition by my friend and P.R. GURU, Nicole McKinney.
I wasn't sure which design that I would enter. After some deliberation, I decided on my 'BIG TEX'
Cowboy that I created for a loft owned by Alex and Sue Gillespie, here in Austin, Tx.
The neon art piece is 6' tall, with open channel letters, light bulbs,full detail neon on the cowboy, and 'Howdy Y'all' flashing alternately.
I really enjoyed creating this piece. The clients were superb, letting me do my thing, telling me that they wanted me just be creative. I actually missed the piece very much after it left my studio. It was like saying 'so long' to a friend.
I'm happy that it is still in Austin, and it is making people happy. On to the next one!
Also, be on the lookout for my work appearing in May 2010's Southern Living magazine and a spot on CNN!
I don't create art for the awards and publicity, but it is looking like the years of stubbornly following my passion for Neon Art is finally getting National recognition.
I was told long ago by a teacher to find a job that I loved, and everything else would fall in to place. I couldn't find that job, so I created it. It took many years of sacrifice, and at times I really had to ask myself if this was really what I wanted, if it was worth the cost. The answer always came back immediately. YES.
