Neon artist and glass blower Jeffrey Dunn is at the height of his craft, with work featured in the Missouri History Museum’s Route 66 centennial exhibit and prominent commissions across the region, from the magnificent restored marquee at Wildey Theatre to a large-scale neon installation at the National Building Arts Center in Sauget that will be visible across much of St. Louis.
“The glass shop I work out of in Hillsboro, Illinois, opened in 1932. I began learning to work with glass in 1989, and it took about five years before I became skilled enough to confidently make anything. Today, I continue producing glass using equipment that is more than 90 years old.
“Over the years, I worked alongside three other craftsmen in the shop, all of whom have since passed away. Today, I do all of the work on my own. Much of my time is spent restoring and servicing historic neon signs, many of which are more than 70 years old and only now reaching the point where they need repairs.
“Neon work requires an unusual combination of skills: art, electrical work, glassblowing and chemistry. After designing and fabricating the glass, I often put on a hard hat and safety harness to install the finished work, sometimes hanging high off the sides of buildings.
Jeffrey Dunn
“I also serve on the board of directors for the Illinois State Historical Society and have spent the last several years working on the Route 66 Centennial. Last summer, the Society sent me on speaking tours focused on Route 66 history and neon preservation.
“In September, I participated in a series of meetings with museums in both Illinois and Missouri to discuss potential exhibits. After meeting in person with the Missouri History Museum, they offered me the AT&T Room for a neon exhibit. I assembled and installed 30 historic neon signs, most between 60 and 90 years old. During the museum’s three-day Route 66 festival, I presented a lecture in the Lee Auditorium titled ‘The Art of Neon and Its Association with Route 66.’”
Dunn’s latest exhibit opened Memorial Day weekend at the Illinois State Museum, where historic neon signs are on display for a year as part of their Route 66 Centennial exhibit. Later this summer, he will also have neon at the Neon Museum of St. Louis.
