The word “massage” glowing in a dark alley. That buzzing Pabst sign hanging in your favorite dive bar. For decades, neon signs have lit up every corner of urban life. And although commercial uses have dwindled (blame LEDs), the craft of making these signs is still alive. Neon makers, known as benders, are now just as likely to be designing signs for art galleries as they are for businesses. “It’s a new contemporary sculpture,” LA artist Patrick Martinez says. “I love the pulsing, hypnotizing saturated colors neon has to offer.” We asked him to illuminate the process.