The Mercury Dime & Buffalo Head from the collection of LRC

The Mercury Dime & Buffalo Head, 2025

Neon tubing various colors mounted to brushed/polished metal round canister with cleat mounting system

42 x 6 in

Location: Ridgefield, CT

In the calm, reflective atmosphere of the poolroom, a series of neon coins is arranged in a
diptych formation on the back wall above the credenzas, positioned at the terminating vista of the space. Using neon tubing, I trace the contours and details of these coins—portraits, mottoes, dates—and scale them up from everyday pocket change into large luminous medallions, fusing classical design with commercial symbolism.

Each piece in the series draws from historic American coins, including:

• The Mercury dime (1916–1945), featuring the winged Liberty head, a symbol of freedom of thought, movement, and communication.

• The Buffalo nickel, depicting a Native American profile, referencing the American
frontier, Indigenous heritage, and the rugged mythology of the West.

I find the portrait of a human rendered in neon tubing to be a uniquely compelling challenge. During the design process, I must carefully decide which lines to keep and which to omit to preserve the legibility of the face. Too many lines, and the image becomes cluttered and unclear; too few, and the detail is lost. Each piece becomes an exercise in restraint, distilling a recognizable human form into just a few precise glowing strokes.

From LRC

Kody Shafer

Holding the Moment, 2025

Neon tubing - Murano Italian Citrus Orange Glass tubing - filled with neon gas.

60 x 28 in
Kody Shafer

Where the River Rejoins, 2025

Neon tubing - Murano Italian Citrus Orange Glass tubing - filled with neon gas.

60 x 28 in
Norbert Schwontkowski

Rockefeller, c. 2007

Oil on Canvas

19.6 x 15.7 in
Norbert Schwontkowski

Vorhang (Curtains), 2006

Oil on Canvas

25 x 19 in
Norbert Schwontkowski

Ich bin uralt, 2004

Oil and pigment on canvas

25 x 19 in
Claude A. Simard

Untitled, 1984

Oil on Canvas with elements of glass
Xanti Schawinsky

STE-141, 1975

Oil on Canvas

36.5 x 46.5 cm
Xanti Schawinsky

Untitled, 1954

Oil on Canvas

30.5 x 30.5 cm

View All Artworks

About the artist

Kody Shafer

b. 1994

Kody Schafer is a Ridgefield-born, Connecticut-based neon artist and master glass bender whose practice centers on preserving and reinterpreting traditional neon sign craftsmanship. Trained through apprenticeships in the U.S. and Japan—most notably in Osaka—his work blends meticulous hand-made technique with influences from historic American and Japanese neon culture. Through his studio, Neon Spectacular, he creates custom neon artworks and signs that bridge functional signage and poetic, atmospheric art, emphasizing neon as both a living craft and a cultural language.

Additional Details

Additional Artworks

Holding the Moment, 2025

Where the River Rejoins, 2025

Rockefeller, c. 2007

Vorhang (Curtains), 2006

Ich bin uralt, 2004

Untitled, 1984

STE-141, 1975

Untitled, 1954

About the artist

Kody Shafer