Shawna Peterson has been bending neon tubing since 1987. She began her neon career with fabrication, pattern-making, and design work. This eventually led to an apprenticeship with the neon tube-bender, R.J. Wells.

While working for a nationwide sign company, she worked extensively in the commercial neon field, producing signs for companies like The Gap, Safeway, Starbucks, Payless Shoe Source, Miller Brewing, and Hollywood Video.

Shawna has also done neon work for numerous other Bay Area projects, like the Yahoo! sign, the San Francisco Symphony's Black and White Ball, Citizen Cake, Luna Park, The Last Supper Club, Andalu, Frisson, and Bongsu to name a few.

Currently, Shawna still bends commercial neon projects, but she also creates neon art both independently and for other artists. She designs and produces her own neon sculpture and furniture. She is interested in using old signage in her artwork, transforming found metal cabinets and plastic faces into new, original pieces. Shawna bends new neon to work with her sculptures that incorporate the old sign fragments. In addition, she enjoys working with artists to create the neon they envision for their own art. Artists that she has worked with include Sarkis at the San Francisco Art Institute, Bill Kane, Mike Krouse, Jan Zivic, SFMOMA, and others.

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Events:

++ Through 10/25/2009-- Emeryville Art
The Twennty-First Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition celebrates the city's artist community and includes work by 93 artists living or working in Emeryville. For more info go to emeryarts.org.

++ 5/2009 -- Maker Faire -- San Mateo Fairgrounds

++ 1/2009 Hotsy Totsy Bar Restoration

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petersonneon/sets/72157611922086229/

++ 5/2008 -- Maker Faire -- San Mateo Fairgrounds

++ Through 12/2007 --Downtown --2102 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley

++ Through 10/28/2007-- Emeryville Art
The Twennty-First Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition celebrates the city's artist community and includes work by 87 artists living or working in Emeryville. For more info go to emeryarts.org.

++ 5/19/2007 & 5/20/2007 -- Maker Faire -- San Mateo Fairgrounds

++ 5/32007 - 5/28/2007 -- Art Beat Salon & Artfest 2007 Visual Arts Exhibition

++ 10/07/2006 - 10/26/2007 ++ Emeryville Art
The Twentieth Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition celebrates the city's artist community and includes work by 87 artists living or working in Emeryville.For more info go to emeryarts.org

++ 7/9/2006 - 9/10/2006 ++ By The Hand --Bedford Gallery
A National Juried Exhibition of Traditional & Innovative Craft.

++ 5/5/2006 ++ Esteban Sabar Gallery
Neon Furniture: The pieces include found objects that
serve a new function, fabricated parts to compliment
old, and some custom fabricated funiture.