Spirit Magazine - March 2014 - (Page 78)

THE ARTISANS Craftsmanship has never really gone away, although in the aspirational decades of the late 20th century, "working with your hands" wasn't the most noble of phrases. Thrillingly, there's a renewed appreciation for things handmade and for people like Todd Sanders, who are literally wielding the tools of inspiration. "There's something about neon. It's this light that speaks to the core of me," Todd Sanders says. "It grabs me like a moth to a flame." Today, the 46-year-old Austin, Texas-based artist is celebrated for his vintage-style neon art pieces- he has a four-month waiting list for his work, which has been featured in Esquire, Fortune, and the films of Terrence Malick , and Robert Rodriguez. But the road wasn't always so smooth. In fact, Todd's journey began with a bumpy 1992 road trip. In his sophomore year of college in Southeast Texas, the graphic design major had already fallen in love with signage. And when he and a buddy ended up in Austin after making a wrong turn off the highway, he was entranced by what he found. "We were driving around town, and within 15 minutes-20 tops-I said, 'I am going to move here, and I am going to build neon signs.' My friend thought I was nuts, but that's exactly what I did," says Todd, who, a few months shy of school-year's 78 SPIRIT MARCH 2014 PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF WILSON

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - March 2014

Spirit Magazine - March 2014
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
Wise Guide
Numbers
Business
The New American Dream
Your Adventure In New York City
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Products & Services
Flight Service
Terminal Maps
Information
Rapid Rewards and A+ Rewards Partners
Route Map
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - March 2014