RALEIGH, N.C. – Neon signs — they are an American staple.

They were first introduced to the United States in 1923 by a Frenchman named Georges Claude. The signs were quickly coined “liquid fire” and were seen all across the country.

The art of creating these iconic pieces, however, is losing its appeal. The majority of commissioned work is now outsourced to Asia, and fewer young people in the United States are learning the craft.

“I think there are more licensed plumbers in Wake County than there are neon glass blowers in the country. So it's a good field to get into, and it's going to be a very profitable field going forward, because there are fewer and fewer of us,” says Nate Sheaffer, neon artist and owner of Glas in Raleigh.

Sheaffer has been in the neon sign business for over 30 years, and just like most businesses, it has taken a hit amid the pandemic.

When the quarantine was first announced back in March, he and his team took it upon themselves to make neon “take out” signs for his clients free of charge to help them pivot. Originally, they thought the lockdown would last only a couple weeks. For months business was slow, but luckily things started to pick up in the fall and winter.

Glas created holiday installations for Night of Lights at Dorothea Dix Park and now is working on neon signs for New Orleans' Mardi Gras.  

“Since there’s no actual Mardi Gras parade, everybody's doing this house float idea. People are decorating their homes. So we're making different crew names and different house names in neon,” Sheaffer says.

Glas is now offering COVID-19 friendly classes for those wanting to pick up the craft. More details can be found on their website.