Neon Tony, Tony Spink, from Neon Creations, as seen on BBC’s David & Jay’s Touring Toolshed, will exhibit ‘Glass & Light: A neon journey since 1912’. An exhibition of neon artwork, hand crafted by Neon Tony with a live demo of the craft of neon glass bending at Castle Park Arts Centre in Frodsham, Cheshire from 20th September 2024 .
This exhibition is set to be very unique and stunning. Tony’s artwork hangs on the walls inside a lot of the homes of the rich and famous in Cheshire and beyond. He’s a very talented man and his craft is one of the endangered crafts in the UK.
Tony said: “It’s important for people to be able to witness the artistry that goes into neon creation as so many confuse cheap replica LED plastic lights as “neon” when they really aren’t. If it’s not made from glass then it isn’t neon! Also there’s a myth that neon isn’t safe but it really is no more harmful than the air we breathe. I’m excited to be able to showcase this to many more people.”
Neon glass bending is on the Heritage Crafts Association’s Red List of Endangered Crafts in the UK. This exhibition will showcase this beautiful art form and educate people about the craft.
Tony and his wife Catherine own Neon Creations, and are battling to get the term “neon signs ” protected so only true neon signs made from glass tubes and filled with gas, can be called that.
Tony was born and bred in South-East London and has been producing neon signs as a glass bender for over 35 years. The creation of handmade neon artworks uses techniques that date back to 1912. He fell in love with neon signs and the process, and quickly realised that there is so much more to neon signs than high street signage, fuelling his passion for wanting to use neon in a more creative and artistic way.
His works have gained critical acclaim in both corporate and domestic settings with Tony producing bespoke pieces for major brands as well as high profile musicians and premiership footballers commissioning him to produce the ultimate in high quality neon artwork.
Tony is immensely proud to be one of the few neon artists in the UK that actually design and make their own work, and loves the journey that each original idea takes him on, with a finished piece never ending up as originally visualised.
Tony enjoys pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with neon glass in combination with other substrates.
Exhibition details
‘Glass & Light: A neon journey since 1912’
Where – Castle Park Arts Centre, Frodsham, Cheshire
Meet The Artist (Launch Night)
Friday 20th September – 7pm to 9pm (no need to book)
Main exhibition
Saturday 21st September (closed Sunday’s & Monday’s) until Tuesday 29th October
Free entry to all 10 am to 4pm.
Neon glass bending demo and talk
Sat 28th September (timings to be confirmed)
