Leticia Maldonado’s mastery over shaping (known in neon parlance as bending) is visible throughout her artistic oeuvre. Intricate roses, delicate birds, and hard sgraffito’d surfaces illustrate a passion for the craft, as well as an innate understanding of transforming emotions into sculpture.
A relative newcomer to the Los Angeles art scene, Maldonado is a virtuoso neon bender in her own right. Her artwork challenges the conventions of what sculpture is, as well as pushing neon to go beyond its own limitations, transcending the traditional ‘street shop sign’ toward a purer form a creative expression.
Leticia Maldonado (b. 1980) was born in West Covina, California and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She grew up surrounded by the bright, eye-catching signs atop famous casinos such as The Dunes, The Tropicana, The Flamingo, and The Stardust. For the past four years, she has been mentored by well-known neon artist Michael Flechtner. And, under his tutelage, Maldonado has swiftly emerged as a rising star. Maldonado’s neon sculpture work – primarily floral motifs delicately arranged, burning with seductive allure – ranges from small to large scale. She has been featured in two museum group exhibits, including She Bends: Women in Neon and Building Bridges. The artist lives and works in Los Angeles, California.
