LIGHT IN HAND: THE ART OF PLASMA AND NEON by Jamie Marie Rose Neon and plasma exist at the intersection of artistically fascinating and technically complex. While we have all undoubtedly witnessed the majesty of a vibrant neon sign, many of us are probably at a loss as to how such light contained within a glass tube is possible. Plasma arguably generates an even greater sense of mystery, with a field that can be interacted with and can move organically in a mesmerizing visual display. While you stare in wonder, you may question how these visually stimulating effects are produced. Simply put, electricity. For neon, a glass tube is bent into the desired form using various torches. The tube is then “bombarded.” This is a process of heating up the glass with high voltage electricity while a vacuum pump extracts all air and impurities from the tube. After the tube has been heated to 300˚ C and cooled, the glass is filled with a tiny amount of inert, noble gas, sometimes with the inclusion of mercury depending on the desired color. Neon alone will create a red-orange glow; argon a soft lilac by itself or an intense blue with the inclusion of vaporized mercury; and so on. Once the glass tube is filled, it is charged with an electrical current. While noble gasses typically remain stable, a steady electrical current will excite the electrons surrounding the atoms’ nuclei enough that they jump to a higher orbit of energy. But this state does not last forever. When the electrons inevitably fall back to their original, lower orbit, they release the excess energy by emitting photons. Light. It is a rare individual who can both create in this way and also work conceptually with the material. It is, perhaps, why so many artists who utilize neon in their practice have never so much as lit a torch. The vibrant light produced by neon is alluring; the painstaking and timeconsuming process of creating that glow… not so much. Something is lost when one decides to forgo the process for the sake
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Synapse, another piece by Lemaire done in 2017 in which the viewer can alter the path the plasma takes by touching the borosilicate glass. Photo curtesy of the artist.
of efficiency in the production of art. While I understand and appreciate the validity of commissioning others to fabricate pieces, I argue that there is a richness present in the work of those who are responsible for the production of their own art, especially when it comes to neon and plasma. Sarah Blood is a professor at Alfred University where she teaches classes in sculpture and neon. Her introduction to glass was through flameworking, and it was this process that eventually led Blood to realize that bending tubes for neon was probably not so different than manipulating borosilicate on the torch. She began actively searching for neon instruction at that point, eventually taking a class with Michael Cane at the Glass Furnace, then another at Pilchuck Glass School with David Svenson. When asked if neon was, in fact, similar to flameworking, Blood’s response was, “Yes and no. I found it a lot harder than flameworking, but more rewarding.” There is a level of connection that
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many of the artist/makers in the field feel. This feeling is more rewarding, perhaps, because of the illumination. “The moment when you have manipulated something in fire and it’s been processed and you switch it on for the first time, you get what I call ‘Christmas Morning face,’” said Blood, describing the transformation of a glass object into a light source. “It’s awe and wonder and there’s something a little bit magical about it. It never gets old.” Artists like Blood, who are so intimately involved in the process of making, would be missing out on the magical moments that can only be experienced through the process of fabrication. “I can think of the conceptual weight of the material because I know it,” said Blood. “People who work with a material get that intimate knowledge and also a sense of grounding that perhaps artists who aren’t involved with the process miss out on.” One of Blood’s more recent works that came out of experimentation with process
SPRING 2019
VOLUME 30, ISSUE 1