The Poetic Glow: Leticia Maldonado’s Illuminated Sculptures

By Laura Henkel

Leticia Maldonado’s luminous sculptures redefine neon as a medium of introspection and storytelling. Drawing from her dual roots in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, she weaves stories of identity, resilience and impermanence, transforming light into profound narratives. By blending personal experiences with precise craftsmanship, Maldonado has established herself as a powerful voice in contemporary neon art.

Crafting a Visual Vocabulary of Resilience

Maldonado’s fascination with the “violent elegance” of plants—shaped by survival and adaptation—informs much of her work. She pairs this raw vitality with a love for books and symbols of personal power, crafting a visual language that fosters connection and creative disruption. Her works encourage self-reflection, integrity and independence while inviting viewers to explore their own stories through her art.

Electric Hustlers: A Neon Masterpiece

In “Electric Hustlers,” Maldonado presents two life-sized showgirl figures: one seated and reflective, the other standing before a glowing mirror. The seated figure, acquired by The Neon Museum for its permanent collection, exudes quiet contemplation and emotional depth. Roger Thomas, chairperson of The Neon Museum Collections Committee, praised it as “a wonderful 21st-century expression of Las Vegas neon tradition, but completely original in concept and drawing style.”

Crafted with 8mm and 10mm neon tubing illuminated by argon and mercury gases, the seated figure’s introspective posture contrasts with neon’s traditional association with spectacle. The standing figure, gazing toward a glowing blue vertical line, evokes themes of performance and self-reflection. The two showgirls embody the tension between outward persona and internal truth. Danny Corey’s documentary “Las Vegas Bender” also captured the creative process behind this work and its cultural impact, adding another layer of depth to its story.

Roses for Monsters: A New Meditation on Impermanence

In “Roses for Monsters,” Maldonado juxtaposes a shattered stained-glass face with vibrant neon roses at its base, now exhibited at Bermudez Projects in Los Angeles. Using vivid reds, blues and yellows alongside Krypton gas and drops of mercury, the piece conveys resilience and transformation. Maldonado reflects, “Sometimes it’s okay to lay your best roses at the feet of horror and just keep walking.” The glowing roses, symbols of strength and survival, stand defiantly in the face of destruction.

This 36 x 15 ¼ x 8 ¼-inch sculpture is meticulously crafted with materials such as bronze mirrored plexiglass, wood, paint, mica flakes and 8mm glass tubing in vibrant shades of clear, emerald, cobalt, red, Novial gold and citrus. The piece exemplifies Maldonado’s ability to fuse technical mastery with profound emotional narratives, inviting viewers to contemplate impermanence and the quiet strength required to endure.

Her mastery of neon goes beyond individual pieces, extending into a broader engagement with artistic communities and cultural narratives.

Rooted in Craft and Community

Maldonado’s background in figurative illustration and storytelling informs her ability to craft narratives through neon. Her studies at The Art Institute of Las Vegas and the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art laid the foundation for her technical precision, later refined under neon masters Lili Lakich and Michael Flechtner. Since 2013, she has worked with illuminated glass, utilizing the smallest diameter glass tubing to achieve the intricate detail that defines her expressive works.

Beyond her studio, Maldonado has been pivotal in reshaping neon as a fine art medium. As a member of She Bends, a collective of female-identifying neon artists, she champions collaboration and equity within the craft. Her participation in “Construyendo Puentes,” a traveling exhibition of Chicano artists, deepened her exploration of cultural hybridity and identity, themes that resonate strongly throughout her work.

Why Her Work Resonates

Maldonado’s art taps into universal experiences—identity, transformation and survival—while remaining deeply personal. Pieces like “Electric Hustlers” and “Roses for Monsters” invite viewers to reflect on their emotions and resilience. Thomas’s praise aptly captures the essence of her work: “It is completely original in concept and drawing style.”

Through her luminous sculptures, Maldonado redefines neon as a medium of emotional depth and storytelling. Her works inspire quiet reflection and bold defiance, illuminating physical spaces and the complexities of the human experience. Each glowing creation invites viewers to connect with their narratives, offering a luminous reminder that resilience, impermanence and transformation are not just art themes but fundamental truths of the human experience.

Explore Maldonado’s luminous creations on her website and follow her artistic journey on Instagram at @leticiamaria.