Neon Sculptures by Rod Lathim celebrate music and light

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-An award-winning artist, known for neon sculptures, has a new show in his Santa Barbara hometown.

Rod Lathim just returned from critically acclaimed shows in New York City and Nashville.

"It is really nice to be back home in Santa Barbara," said Lathim, "I've been on the road for the last year, with a show starting in New York, and then this summer in Nashville, and so, now it is finally time to come home to Santa Barbara, I love being home."

Lathim's newest work combines real instruments with light traveling through glass tubes.

The show just opened at the Helena Mason Gallery on the corner of Helena and Mason in Santa Barbara's Funk Zone.

"Neon has elements for me that are very spiritual, light and movement and music, which is what the show is about," said Lathim, "light and music are two ethereal , magical, spiritual things in my life, so, sculpting with light is as good as it gets for me. It is magical, it takes me to a different place more than any other art form."

The artwork has musical titles, too, such as "Plugged In, Lit Up," "The Aura of the Axe," "On a Wing and Prayer" and "Choctaw Hayride."

His work is also being used to illustrate a new book entitled "The Secret Dao of Art."

Lathim is often commissioned by private collectors and businesses to create original works.

Some clients gave him instruments to work with in this show.

When he isn't making art, Lathim is a playwright/director and producer. His documentary "The War Shirt: a Dialogue with The Ancestors" is streaming now at https://www.luketheatre.org

Lathim's neon sculptures will be on display at the Helena Mason Art Gallery through Dec. 24.

For more information check out his social media at https://www.rodlathim or @rodlathim