Gallery

Vintage 35mm film reel, neon and vintage wood mold

21” T x 30” W x 9” D

A relic of cinema’s golden age spins into the present in Off the Reel. Built upon a vintage 35mm film reel—once the vessel of flickering dreams and celluloid memories—the sculpture celebrates the physical poetry of film itself. Mounted on a vintage wooden mold, the reel becomes both anchor and launchpad for three looping strands of neon glass that spiral outward into open air, breaking free from the reel’s circular confines.

Each piece of glass glows with kinetic energy, marked every few inches by black lines recalling film sprockets. The light seems to move, as though frames of color were unspooling into infinity. Off the Reel captures the exhilarating moment when story, image, and imagination slip their mechanical boundaries and come alive—an homage to the wonder of cinema and the luminous pulse of creation itself.

Wood, neon, acrylic

26 ½ T x 18 1/2 “ W x 6 ¼” D

“First Light” captures the sacred instant when darkness gives way to awakening — the quiet threshold between stillness and illumination. Layers of hand-cut wood panels form a dimensional landscape: a radiant sun ascends from a turquoise sky, sending three golden rays outward in arcs of glowing neon. Below, soft billows of purple and blue clouds drift gently across the composition, their contours traced in shimmering neon hues of cobalt, green, and turquoise.

The interplay of carved form and living light transforms this scene into an expression of spirit rising — the moment the soul opens to new possibility. Both architectural and ethereal, “First Light” radiates hope, joy, and the promise of renewal — a visual hymn to beginnings, and to the eternal return of light.

Wood, Solid and Beaded Neon, metal sphere, acrylic

28” T x 12” W x 12” W

Ode to Hilma is a sculptural homage to Hilma af Klint’s visionary language of spirals, ascension, and the unseen architecture of time and realities. Inspired directly by her painting “Altarpiece #2”, this work reimagines her symbolic exploration of stacked, simultaneous consciousness.

An abstract triangular form rises like a small altar, its curved abstract shapes and swirling cobalt neon echoing the movement of energy across parallel planes of time. Its slanted top gestures upward, inviting contemplation of realms beyond the linear and the physical.

Suspended above this painted geometry is a mirrored, celestial sphere orbited by three clear neon rings, reflecting both the spiral structure of the Guggenheim Museum (The Temple) and af Klint’s repeated motif of the cosmic spiral. Pumped with krypton gas, the rings float kinetic strings of pearlescent light.

The viewer’s reflection appears within the mirrored orb, inviting them into the work’s symbolism: a reminder that each of us exists simultaneously in many layers of experience, and that we are co-creators within the luminous spiral of time and Spirit.

(See Finding The Divine Child for a full account of Hilma af Klint’s impact on my work.)

28” W x 15.5” T x 5” D

Acrylic, wood panels, neon

a three dimensional ode to the power of manifestation

Repurposed stand-up bass, neon, welded base

69” T x 42” D x 22” W

This work is a collaboration with artist Clark James. A whimsical look at the beauty, magic and peril of music.

“Tha-wang” celebrates the glorious unpredictability of music —that electric instant where discipline meets spontaneity, and creation tips in to chaos.

Built upon an acoustic bass painted black with crisp white edges, the sculpture stands in striking contrast, its luminous strings bringing the instrument to life. Four lines of white neon glass dance above the ebony neck—three pulsing in fluid waves that capture the deep resonance and physical vibration of sound. The fourth string, broken, arcs into wild spirals, embodying the freedom and humor found in imperfection.

Here, the moment of rupture becomes revelation — the bass, no longer silent, hums with luminous energy. “The-wang” is an ode to majesty, melody and mayhem — a reminder that in art, as in music, beauty often arrives through the unexpected note, the crack in control, the joyous sound of things coming brilliantly undone.

A collaboration created by me, music teacher Ron Zecher, art teacher Alyssa Gonzalez and 2nd graders at Montecito Union Elementary School in Spring of 2024. Recycled violins, bows, cello and neon elements with collage of vintage music and acrylic. A gift to Montecito Union School celebrating arts and education.

29” W x 16” T x 5.5” D

layered wood panels, acrylic, solid and beaded neon

“Vincent’s Dream” transforms painted motion into sculptural light. Swirls of turquoise, green, and clear neon glass sweep across a hand-painted night sky, where layers of sponged color create depth and atmosphere. Two of the five neon elements are made of beaded glass — tiny traveling beads of light that shimmer like drifting stars. The composition radiates with movement, bridging painting and sculpture, memory and modernity. “Vincent’s Dream” imagines what might have stirred in Van Gogh’s mind before brush met canvas — the luminous pulse of inspiration itself.

Vintage mantle clock, vintage dominos, acrylic and neon.

22 3/4” T x 17” W x8” D

“Fantasy Time” transforms a vintage mantle clock into a whimsical fusion of nostalgia, motion, and storybook wonder. Painted in rich hues of ‘Disney meets gingerbread,’ the ornate clock is encircled by a free-flowing ring of turquoise neon glass. The swirling light creates an aura of energy and enchantment — where time itself seems to dance and dream. Heads up for Tinkerbell!

I am honored to be a part of this inspiring, powerful and insightful book written by the author/philosoher “Z”. He chose my images and art to illustrate this beautiful book. A perfect gift for the artist in your life - or anyone looking for deeper meaning in the journey of life. Available on Amazon or where ever you buy your books. The hardcover version is in full color. Black and white version also available, and Kindle version as well. Enjoy!

“What a wonderful read. I was gifted this book for Christmas and feel fortunate to now own a treasure. No matter where you are on your own life journey, this book provides a new mind set of inspiration. Clear and accessible it is easy to absorb the profound messages on life, creativity, and ageing. Beautifully illustrated including the creative works of Rod Lathim, is an added plus. Treat yourself to a copy.” Barkly Cole

Re-purposed trumpet, neon

33” T x 12” W x 8” D

A trip down the Mississippi in 2025 ended in the Crescent City of Jazz and my soul was filled with the rich music of New Orleans. It was indeed a ‘good time.’ I hope the colors and motion of this piece take you on a musical journey – perhaps to Preservation Hall… with a Hurricane and a hot beignet?

“Bon Temps” reimagines the trumpet as a vessel of light and rhythm. The composition evokes the improvisational movement of music, where sound takes form and color becomes melody. Joyful, kinetic, and luminous, “Bon Temps” celebrates the spontaneity and spirit of jazz — a visual syncopation of good times and good vibrations.

Vintage barn hay trolley, spiral filament light bulbs, a collection of vintage assemblage objects including Piano keys, bed springs, tools, clock parts, wood typeset letters, tin type photos, finials, ephemora

 31” T x 16” W x 13” D

This assemblage honors the quiet beauty of what endures. Relics transformed into a reverie of time, labor, and grace. An orchestra of found fragments plays a silent hymn to memory. The rust speaks of time and use; the form restores purpose and dignity. In uniting decay with design, the work honors the quiet persistence of human touch — a reminder that what was once utilitarian can become transcendent when seen through the lens of grace.

Deconstructed Violin, vintage clock parts and ephemera, Neon on vintage typeset block.

This work reminds me of how fragile life is, teetering at times… near falling apart, but held together by the magic forces of good and grace.

The instrument, like our bodies, even when pulled apart, exposing its inner workings, somehow holds together and continues to make music – to have a life that defies all odds.

SOLD

Vintage wood sprocket mold, beaded neon, acrylic, gold leaf

14” T x 16” W x 6” D

“Kinetic Halo” transforms an industrial relic into an emblem of divine motion — a fusion of machinery and mysticism, where light becomes both spirit and energy. Built upon a vintage wooden mold once used to cast a large mechanical sprocket, the sculpture preserves the strength of its utilitarian origins: the angled teeth of the mold radiate outward like the rays of a celestial wheel.

Within the circular opening, an abstract field of deep colors and gold leaf glows softly, echoing the alchemy of creation — earth and ether entwined. Encircling this inner world is a ring of neon glass tracing the perimeter, while a second curving form arcs across and beyond the boundary, suggesting branches reaching, or arms lifting in reverence.

Both neon pieces are fused from cobalt blue, transparent aquamarine, and clear glass — vessels for krypton gas that sends beading pearls of white light pulsing through their curves. This rhythmic, kinetic illumination feels alive, as though the sculpture itself breathes light.

“Kinetic Halo” is a meditation on energy and grace — an invocation of unseen forces that turn the great wheel of existence. It honors the union of the mechanical and the mystical, where movement becomes spirit, and energy becomes light.

Dobro guitar and Neon

Choctaw Hayride is the title of a piece of bluegrass music by Jerry Douglas and made popular by Alison Krause & Union Station in 2002. This music features the unique sound of a Dobro guitar with its sliding fret work and its metallic sound generated by the sound cone. Choctaw Hayride is a classic, upbeat joyful ride with banjo, guitar, bass, Dobro and fiddle. The neon is a visual representation of the colors and textures created by the Dobro. I grew up on bluegrass music and love it to this day.

SOLD

acrylic and gold leaf on wood, turquoise neon glass

11” T x 23 ½” W x 5” D

Painting by Miguel Lee-Leon - Neon by Rod Lathim

“Manifest I” is an illuminated affirmation — a visual meditation on the creative power of thought and intention. The softly layered background of pastel hues and silver leaf creates a serene, dreamlike field — a space where possibility hovers between imagination and reality. From this ether of color, the word Manifest emerges in glowing turquoise neon, radiant and alive, a beacon of belief made visible.

53” T x 16” W x 16” D/PEdestal 30” T x 16” W x 16” D

Deconstructed cello, neon, vintage clock parts, wooden carved rabbit, silver metal sphere, vintage metal ring.

A whimsical look at the healing properties of music and light

SOLD

Wood, neon, plexiglass, acrylic

16 ¾ T x 20 ¾” W x 6 ¾” D

A full moon, a starry night sky… a three dimensional fantasy scape to transport you into slumbering dreams…

Suspended between stillness and motion, “Moon Shadow” invites reflection on time, distance, and the quiet radiance of the unseen. It is both an homage to night and a meditation on the way illumination gives shape to mystery.

In “Moon Shadow,” light becomes both subject and storyteller. A glowing full moon hovers at the heart of a seven-layered night sky, its soft white neon casting illumination through sculpted tiers of billowing clouds, creating a quiet illusion of infinite space.

Epiphone Cherry Wood Hollow Body Electric Guitar with Neon

“Axe” is the most popular slang word for a guitar. Rockers often refer to their instruments as their Axe.

I was drawn to the rich cherry wood of this guitar that can create gentle love songs and hard rock. The neon creates an aura and brings a visual life to this beautiful guitar. The guitar I learned on as a kid was an Epiphone and I will always cherish the music it taught me.

SOLD

Vintage 35mm film reel, vintage wooden mold, beaded neon

21” T x 20” W x 7” D

“Director’s Cut” is a meditation on creativity, memory, and the art of letting go. The piece began with a vintage 35mm film reel — a relic of storytelling, rhythm, and motion. I mounted it on an old wooden mold whose round openings mirror the reel’s perforations, echoing the repetition and precision of film itself. From within the circle, two free-form shapes of clear, beaded neon emerge, overlapping and spiraling outward. The beads of light travel through the glass like tiny frames of film in motion, while black lines along the glass hint at sprocket holes in film. The beading neon reimagines cinema as kinetic light.

For me, “Director’s Cut” is both a celebration and a critique — a reflection on the tension between indulgence and discipline in art. In film, the director’s cut often keeps the moments that should have been trimmed, the darlings too dear to discard. I see it as a metaphor for the creative process itself — the constant dance between editing and expression, between what we hold onto and what we must let go.

51” T x 8” W x 9” D

Vintage Trombone and Neon on custom wood base.

I used the ‘Think Method’ when creating this. The Music Man was the first musical I ever saw. Robert Preston later was put on a high pedestal by a young theatre kid. This beautiful trombone was purchased in an antique store in England by my dear friends Fredda and Harris Meisel and was gifted to me by their family. The Meisel Family was steeped in artistic expression, music, visual art and love. I hope this ‘76th trombone’ pays appropriate tribute to them.

SOLD

Wood, neon, acrylic

20” T x 26” W x 4 ¾” D

A luminous abstraction of divine emanation, “Chroma Spiritus” radiates from a central core or Source. Three vibrant tendrils of turquoise, purple, and green neon unfurl in freeform arcs, suggesting waves of energy or spirit expanding into the unseen.

The deep purple wooden base, amoeba-like in form, anchors this celestial motion while the cobalt blue neon back-lighting casts a soft halo against the wall — a field of living light that breathes beyond the sculpture’s edges. Around the central spirals orbit a constellation of dimensional discs, overlapping and drifting like notes in a cosmic chord.

Chroma Spiritus embodies the pulsing rhythm of Divine origin — where color, light, and energy merge in a dance of spirit made visible. It invites quiet contemplation of the unseen frequencies that connect us all, illuminating the continuous flow of energy from Source through form.

Campbell’s Soup Print, Neon

29” T x 18” W x 5” D

“Art Soup” is both homage and wink — a luminous nod to Lily Tomlin, Jane Wagner, and their brilliant lens on art and humanity in “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe.” (One of my all-time favorite plays.)

Here, the ordinary and the iconic meet in a flash of neon. A simple can of soup — humble, mass-produced, familiar — becomes illuminated, reborn through light, reflection, and irony. Tomlin’s character of the bag lady Trudy explains art to her space alien friends. She pulls a can of Campbell’s Soup out of her cart and states,“This is soup.” Then she shows them a picture of Andy Worhol’s painting of a Campbell’s Soup can and says, “This is art.”

The piece celebrates that essential spark of perception — the moment when the everyday object crosses a threshold and becomes revelation. In its glowing contours lives both humor and reverence: a reminder that art is not a thing apart, but the way we see the things before us.

vintage acoustic guitar, neon

42” T x 11” W x 9” D

“Rockabilly” is a vibrant celebration of rhythm, light, and motion — a visual riff on the spirited sound that once shook dance halls and back porches across America. Built upon a vintage acoustic guitar painted in luminous metallic purples and turquoise, this piece hums with color and swagger.

Four multicolored neon strings replace the originals, each bending and curving in playful waves that capture the vibration of sound frozen in light. At the top, a brass fleur-de-lis crowns the instrument — a nod to Southern roots, resilience, and revival. The glowing strings and painted body pulse together like a living chord, alive with the joy of music reborn.

“Rockabilly” pays homage to the raw, joyous fusion of country twang and early rock ’n’ roll — an era when rhythm met rebellion, and sound became spirit. In this sculpture, the music doesn’t fade; it glows on — a timeless reminder that creativity, once sparked, keeps on humming through every color of light.

Deconstructed violin, ephemera and neon

The bluebird came from the roof of a vintage German Cuckoo clock. The deconstructed violins and cellos joyfully incorporate my earlier years of assemblage work with neon.

SOLD

Neon, acrylic on wood base

11” T x 17” W x 7 ¾” D

“No Kings” stands as a luminous act of defiance — a declaration rendered in glass and light. Three radiant lines of orange and yellow neon form the unmistakable outline of a crown, an ancient emblem of power and hierarchy. Yet, cutting across this symbol is a bold red slash of neon — an unmistakable gesture of resistance.

Built on a simple wooden base, the work rejects the notion of monarchy, not merely as a historical relic but as a warning against the modern rise of self-anointed rulers. The red slash cuts decisively across the glowing crown, cancelling the symbol of dominance and ego-driven dictatorship — a visual strike through the idea of absolute power.

In its stark geometry and blazing color, “No Kings” gives voice to a collective sentiment — a reminder that true leadership is rooted in integrity, humility, and the will of the people. The piece pulses with both outrage and hope, a beacon for democracy illuminated in neon light.

7” W x 7” D x 3’ T

Vintage clarinet sections and clear glass with argon gas on custom wood base.

Pure argon gas pumped with mercury in clear glass creates a mystical, other-worldly effect. I think of Merlin’s magic from the days of Camelot and how he might have magically coaxed music to flow from an instrument.

Deconstructed cello, mirror shards and neon.

This was a departure and experiment for me. I chose to cut the cello in angular sections, giving an explosive look. The mirrors provide a shattered look at the light and the onlooker. From the classical artistry of Yo Yo Ma to the violent and explosive music of Curt Cobain…

SOLD

Re-purposed cello, neon, vintage metal ring

6’ T x 16” W x 22” D (on pedestal)

“Neon Nocturne” reimagines a classical instrument as a vessel of color, light, and motion. A cello, stripped of sound, glows with neon glass strings that shimmer and pulse like frozen waves of music. Three strings hum in vibrant rhythm, while a fourth breaks away, spiraling upward in luminous arcs — a visual echo of freedom, fragility, and improvisation. The work blurs boundaries between music and sculpture, stillness and vibration, inviting viewers to hear with their eyes and feel the song that lingers in silence.

38” T x 29” W x 11” D

Neon and French Horn on custom wood base.

A tribute to the genius of Steven Sondheim. He uses generous arrangements of the French Horn in the song “Sunday” from “Sunday in the Park With George.

2’ T x 8” W x 7” D

Vintage Ukrainian bugle, neon and custom wood base

I bought this bugle from a gentleman in Ukraine. May it blow to celebrate victory and freedom of the Ukrainian People

SOLD

25” T x 10” W x 10” D

Industrial Hobart mixing blades, neon and custom welded base.

One a series with a nod to reverent whimsy

SOLD

43” T x 16” W x 12” D

Vintage acoustic guitar, neon

I found this guitar with the name “Eddie” hand painted at the top of the neck and had to channel its funky, quirky energy. The wavy strings are a visual incarnation of its music

SOLD

vintage banjo, neon glass, painted metal fleur-de-lis, gold leaf

43 ½ T x 19” W x 7” D

“Bourbon Street Bloom” captures the exuberant spirit of sound made visible — a celebration of light, rhythm, and joy rising from the heart of Americana. The instrument stands tall like a performer mid-song, its voice transformed into glowing color and movement.

Sunflower-yellow neon swirls outward from the circular body, like laughter or the radiance of a brass band spilling into the night. A cobalt-blue vine of light climbs the banjo’s neck, echoing the improvisational flow of a twangy solo winding skyward. At the center, framed within the clear head, a fleur-de-lis shimmers in purples, greens, and gold — a nod to New Orleans’ enduring emblem of resilience and grace.

This piece is an ode to the spirit of New Orleans — where every sound carries light, and every note blooms into color. “Bourbon Street Bloom” transforms the joy of music into a kinetic prayer of light.  

22” T x 24” W x 12” D

Three dimensional sculpture of wood and neon

SOLD

Vintage metal clarinet, beaded neon, wooden base
28” T x 8” W x 8" D 

SOLD

29” T x 9” W x 9” D

Saxophone, neon on a custom wood base.

A sax pouring out the blues…

43” T x 8”x12” D

Ukrainian electric guitar and neon.

Created specifically for my show in Nashville, TN

SOLD

3’ T x 3’ W x 7” D

Painting by Chris Gocong, Neon by Rod Lathim, Soft sculpture by Christina McCarthy and Rod Lathim

SOLD

Acrylic on wood canvas, neon, Italian silk fabric

Inspired the the iconic fashionista Iris Apfel

Wood, Neon
17” T x 17” W x 6" D 

Inspired by Modernism Week in Palm Springs - this is the second in a series of works that celebrate the shapes and colors of Modernism in The Desert.

SOLD

Wood, Neon
17” T x 17” x 6" 

An ode Modernism week in Palm Springs

SOLD

24” T x 24” W x 6” D

Neon and wood elements - created from the “boneyard” of unused neon pieces collected in my studio.

18.5” T x 13” W x 8,5” D

Neon and custom wood base

Inspired by the Herbert Bayer sculpture “Chromatic Gate” at the Santa Barbara beachfront

SOLD

2021
Santa Barbara/Los Angeles
35” T x 35” W x 5" D 

This is a collaboration with painter George V. Wolf - a Los Angeles based artist, with neon by Rod Lathim. (@georgevwolf) SOLD

2021
Santa Barbara/ Los Angeles
38" W x 26” T x 8” D

Wood sculpture and neon design by Rod Lathim, painting by George V Wolf.

2020
Santa Barbara
27" W x 22” T x 6.5” D

One of my very popular series of Time Flies works - each built on a different vintage clock. This oak timepiece features a pendulum and ornate glass door. . SOLD

2021
Santa Barbara
27" W x 22” T x 6.5” D

One in a series of my winged clocks. This is a vintage English clock with custom neon wings. SOLD 

2021
Santa Barbara
17” T x 22” W x 6" D 

Time Flies - one of my most popular series of vintage clocks with wings. Neon colors are turquoise and blue (not showing up as accurately as I would like in this photo. Neon is tricky to photograph!

2021
Santa Barbara
30” T x 22” W x 8" D  

A commissioned work for a private collector. Custom wood sculpture, neon. SOLD

2021
Santa Barbara
23” T x 23” x 6" D 

Built on a wood framed vintage deco tin ceiling tile. Solid neon lettering with beaded neon squiggle.

36” T x 6.5” W x 6.5” D

Fused colored glass neon, custom metal stand, custom wood base.

A Spirit Totem with custom bubbles.

SOLD

2020
Santa Barbara
22” T x 12” W x 12" D 

Industrial mixing blades, neon and custom metal base. Yes, a play on words, but also a sentiment reflecting the world and its fragile condition. SOLD

28” T x 8” W x 8" D 

Vintage trumpet, neon and wooden base  

SOLD

17” T x 8” W x 7” D

Clarinet section, kinetic beaded neon, bell jar on custom wood base

SOLD

25” T x 7” W x 7” D

Pocket Trumpet. neon on custom wood base

SOLD

36” T x 6.5” W x 6.5” D

Fused colors of neon glass, metal armature, custom wood base.

One of a series of single Totems celebrating balance, harmony and tranquility.

SOLD

2021
Santa Barbara
26” T x 23” W x 9" D 

An electric bouquet on a custom white base. SOLD

2021
Santa Barbara
40" W x 4' T x 4" D

My first collaboration with Los Angeles painter George V. Wolf. Neon design by Rod Lathim. (@georgevwolf)

SOLD

29” T x 23” W x 6” D

Custom wood base and neon

SOLD

2021
Santa Barbara
19" W x 20" T x 9" D

Pastel Neon freeform shapes on a custom wood base. SOLD

53” H x 26.5” D x 25.5” W

This beautiful, white, vintage Chippendale chair pleaded with me to use it as a canvas. The blue and green colors of neon are two of my favorites - gently enticing and elegantly soft. The piece includes a beautiful custom wooden pedestal (now painted in matching white) that mirrors the tapered shape of the seat. SOLD

2021
Santa Barbara
8" W x 22” T x 6.5” D

One in a new series of works incorporating musical instruments. This is a vintage clarinet section with beaded neon under a glass dome on a custom wood base. The movement of the beading flows out of the clarinet.

SOLD.

2020
Santa Barbara
(22” T x 10” W x 9 1/8 D

Fashioned from two industrial mixing blades, this piece a celebration of spirit and light, Art Deco design, and is a sort of an alter for those who find a spiritual calling emanating from the blades. This piece called for the purity and simplicity of white light, coupled with the soothing cobalt blue and purple. In these very challenging times, faith is sometimes all we have to hold on to.

SOLD

2022
Santa Barbara
3' T x 3' W x 8" D 

Painting by Chris Gocong, neon by Rod Lathim 

2022
Santa Barbara
3' T x 3' W x 7.5" D 

Painting by Chris Gocong, neon by Rod Lathim

4' T x 4’ W x 6” D

Painting by Chris Gocong, Neon design by Rod Lathim

2021
Santa Barbara
48” T x 48" W x 4"D

This painting is by Chris Gocong, neon deisign by Rod Lathim.

2021
Santa Barbara
11” T x 59” W x 4" D

The first sign I have made - for Isaac Gonzales - proprietor of CommenUnity in the Funk Zone in Santa Barbara, CA, where it permanently hangs. Isaac's concept of a one-chair barbershop in an art gallery is wonderful and refreshing!

7” W x 7” D x 16" T 

Beaded Neon encircling a vintage clarinet section under a glass dome on a custom wood base. This kinetic sculpture is perfect for music lovers, instrumentalists, a great mood light at night and guaranteed conversation starter.

SOLD

2022
Santa Barbara
59” T x 24” W x 22" D 

Vintage Chippendale chair, neon and custom pedestal. Use your imagination of an appropriate place for this… or an appropriate person…

2019
Santa Barbara
35” T x 24” Circumference

The Red Planet is one of a series of planetary works I created in 2019. Neon rings on a metal sphere with a patina created by fire. Custom metal welded base. SOLD

2019
Santa Barbara
35” T x 24” Circumference

2019
Santa Barbara
64.5” T x 12 3/8” D x 36 ¼ W

I ventured to Lawrence, Kansas right out of graduating from Santa Barbara High School, to pursue my education as a Music Therapy major. What awaited me in Kansas was so much more than an academic education! I had been selling antiques at the Wine Cellar in the Big Yellow House in Summerland and the Midwest opened up a whole new world to me in the antique department. In 1978 I found a set of twisted wrought iron posts. They date back to the Civil War and are hand-wrought, portable fence posts that were carried by the troupes to create horse corrals. The corkscrew end was screwed into the ground and ropes were threaded through the rings. These posts were dug out of the Caw River, which runs through Lawrence. I imagine some low ranking infantryman grew weary of lugging these heavy items day after day and dumped them in the river. 

This series of three posts represents the blood, sweat and tears of those who fought in the Civil War. My family lineage traces back to Robert E. Lee. (Thank God the North was victorious.) The light on the center post is the ghost of the soldier who carted these heavy posts from camp to camp. It is a tribute to those who gave their lives in that awful battle. 

2019
Santa Barbara
73” T x 20” D x 32” W

Constructed with the action board and free moving hammers, and the keys of a piano on a triangular metal base, Alegro is upbeat and embodies movement. The hammers are all able to be positioned in never-ending positions, creating fascinating visual patterns. Though delicate, the hammers all move to touch and will hold their positions, making this work very interactive. Backlit in purple, Alegro offers a very striking look of dramatic silhouette when only the backlight is used.

2019
Santa Barbara
6' T x 29" D x 55" W

This is the largest of the piano series, constructed with a grand piano harp featuring an unusual convex eagle emblem in the metal, which is highlighted with tiny LED lights. The custom stained glass panes were inspired by the magnificent stained glass windows in the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. Backlit with an extensive pattern of deep blue lighting and clusters of LED lights, This impressive sculpture morphs into multiple, colorful looks, dictated by light.

Like the Sagrada Familia, it celebrates light with vibrant and joyful colors, and the spiritual nature of music.

SOLD

 6' T x 29" D x 55" W

This is the largest of the piano series, constructed with a grand piano harp featuring an unusual convex eagle emblem in the metal, which is highlighted with tiny LED lights. The custom stained glass panes were inspired by the magnificent stained glass windows in the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. Backlit with an extensive pattern of deep blue lighting and clusters of LED lights, This impressive sculpture morphs into multiple, colorful looks, dictated by light. 

Like the Sagrada Familia, it celebrates light with vibrant and joyful colors, and the spiritual nature of music.

SOLD

2019
Santa Barbara
6' T x 29” D x 55” W

This is the largest of the piano series, constructed with a grand piano harp featuring an unusual convex eagle emblem in the metal, which is highlighted with tiny LED lights. The custom stained glass panes were inspired by the magnificent stained glass windows in the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. Backlit with an extensive pattern of deep blue lighting and clusters of LED lights, This impressive sculpture morphs into multiple, colorful looks, dictated by light. 

Like the Sagrada Familia, it celebrates light with vibrant and joyful colors, and the spiritual nature of music.

SOLD

63” T x 28” D x 56” W

One in a series of free standing piano re-constructions. This work incorporates the harp, keys and action board of a repurposed baby grand piano. It features custom glass elements in three of the openings of the harp, and a magenta neon ring around one of the sound holes and is backlit with deep blue light.

15” T x 15” W x 13" D 

Metal sphere, neon and custom wood box. Created in celebration of Unite To Light - an important non-profit organization. Primordial Spirit represents the innate building blocks of human life. Light and energy are both core elements. Ultimately we are made of energy and light. Our souls radiate light in the form of auras. When we are in sync with our inner light, we can truly heal our world.

SOLD

12” T x 11” W x 11" D 

Metal sphere, neon and custom wood box by Rod Lathim. SOLD

28” H x 6” D x 28” H

Arrows and signs – life is full of them. Sometimes we pay attention to them. Often we ignore them. But most of us are looking for direction. You fill in the blank. What are you looking for? To where will the arrow point you? Home? Paradise? Trouble? Adventure? A new beginning? Bliss?  

SOLD

18” T x 16” T x 5.5" D 

This piece is simple but intriguing to me, pairing overlapping colors and shapes with light and paint.

SOLD

78” H x 20” D x 40” W

This Oeil de Beouf – or French dormer is made of zink, and is a classic example of the ornate architectural elements of buildings in Paris. La Ville Lumiere– The City of Light oozes with history, art and design. I enjoyed mixing traditional and abstract Kinetic beaded and solid) neon and diverse colors in this piece. I hope to capture some of the essence of Paris and its lively, artistic energy. This is my first use of beading neon (achieved by using Krypton gas and the use of a special transformer).I love the animation it creates – pearls of light and energy flowing like white blood cells, waking the muses that once resided beneath this dormer. 

SOLD

2020
Santa Barbara
29 W x 15” T x 6” D

Neon on vintage ceiling tiles.

SOLD

29 W x 15” T x 6” D

Neon on vintage tin ceiling tile from NYC, on wood frame.

SOLD

29 W x 15” T x 6” D

Worthy - a word that resonates with so many people, reminding us that we are indeed empowered to be our authentic selves, with a strong, clear voice. Solid neon and beaded neon below: the light blue beads travel through the squiggle, underscoring the importance of this word.

SOLD

29 W x 15” T x 6” D

Neon on wood frame with painted wood blocks. I created this piece for my Palm Springs show in early 2020, which was during the very popular Modernism Week in the Desert.

SOLD

2021
Santa Barbara
23” T x 18” x 5" D 

I am fascinated by the classic neon movie theatre marquees of yesteryear. This is a tribute to that nostalgic era.

36” T x 29” Circumference

Peaceful Planet is one in a series of planetary works created in 2019. Custom neon on fire patina metal sphere with custom welded metal base.

SOLD

35” T x 24” Circumference

This is the largest of three metal globes with which I have created planet sculptures. All the spheres in this series are from a garden in Santa Rosa that was ravaged by fire. They were originally mirror globes. The fire gave them their multi-layered planet surface patina. This planet, guided by its purple, blue and green glow is one of peace and respite. SOLD

Vintage streetlamp, banister stand, faux cement base, vintage English fence posts, neon free-form elements
6' 7" T x 28" D x 30" W

“The Beacon” began with an old streetlight — a relic once built to guide others through the dark. I wanted to give it new life, to turn a piece of the past into a symbol of renewal and hope.

The vintage opaque glass lamp now holds multiple strands of free-form neon, glowing in bright, shifting color — a modern heartbeat inside an antique shell. It rests on a rustic wooden banister and a patinaed cement base embedded with ornate English iron fence posts, grounding the light in history and craftsmanship. Together, these elements bridge eras, materials, and meaning.

For me, “The Beacon” is about continuity — the way light, whether electric or human, endures across time. It stands as a quiet monument to resilience, guiding not the streets anymore, but the spirit – a modern reliquary of illumination. In my new book “Finding The Divine Child” the concept of a beacon of light plays a central role in the fascinating history of Summerland, Califorinia.

83.5” T x 51 1/8 W x 24” Deep

We all have unique definitions of what “home” means to us. Some of us make our home wherever we happen to be and with those who are with us. Some were fortunate to grow up in a house that holds precious memories that shape the rest of our life. We may enter and exit this world alone (although I think we are truly surrounded by love and souls upon all parts of our journey) but we need a place to nest; to feel safe and free to be who we are; to dream, create, explore, take risks, fail and succeed. This tin dormer spoke to me as a symbol of home. Love and gratitude are the two words that guide my life and when you combine them with home, all is peaceful and happy. I celebrate the home I grew up in; my beautiful family and the legacy of love they have given me. (Freestanding on metal base or can be hung on a wall)

2020
Santa Barbara
18" W x 23” T x 11” D

This piece is brings to life a vintage balloon mold - a wonderful piece of sculpture in itself. Certain to be the topic of intriguing conversation. A true one of kind piece!

41” T x 25” W x 12" D

Collaborative sculptural work and portrait of the iconic performer Joey Arias - by George V. Wolf and Rod Lathim. Soft sculpture, neon, fabric and wood.

SOLD

41” T x 25” W x 12" D 

Collaborative sculptural work and portrait of the iconic performer Joey Arias - by George V. Wolf and Rod Lathim. Soft sculpture, neon, fabric and wood.

Wood and soft sculpture, neon, acrylic - a collaboration with George V Wolf and Rod Lathim. A tribute to the late, iconic singer/performer Klaus Nomi

2022
Santa Barbara
25" T x 18" W x 5" D 

Wood, Neon, Acrylic by Rod Lathim SOLD

2021
Santa Barbara
6' T x 6'  W x 8" D 

This dramatic contemporary painting is by Chris Gocong, neon by Rod Lathim. My first collaboration with Chris Gocong.

2022
Santa Barbara
4' T x 2' W x 7" D 

Acrylic painting by Chris Gocong - neon by Rod Lathim. A tribute to the late. great Stephen Sondheim.

date. 2019
city. Santa Barbara
size. 35” T x 24” Circumference

This unique work is a joyful and mysterious combination of kinetic and light elements that bring the piece to life. The beaded neon double rings around the center glass saucers have a life of their own and move the beads of white light through the clear glass tubes in variations and directions. Turquoise and cobalt blue neon rings give the Ship a glow of color and internal tiny white lights are adjustable with seven different settings of movement and brightness. Let your UFO inspired imagination go wild! SOLD

2021
Santa Barbara
24” T x 24” x 5" D

One in my series of Stars - perfect for music lovers!

SOLD

4' T x 4' W x 7" D 

Painting by Chris Goncong / Neon by Rod Lathim  

SOLD

29” T x 15” W x 15" D 

Saxophone and beaded neon on a custom wood base  

SOLD

2019
Santa Barbara
18.5" W x 18.5” T x 8” D

This fun celebration of light and color is perfect for the holidays and any day of the year. It is built on a vintage metal star, made from old barn sidings.

28” T x 8” W x 8" D 

Vintage trumpet, neon and wooden base  SOLD

2022
Santa Barbara
18” T x 10” W x 7" D 

Wood, acrylic, neon.  I tend to avoid politics in my art, but this piece reflects the many types of divides in our world. The light in the open space reflects the hope that our world can be whole.

2022
Santa Barbara
16” T x 12” W x 8" D 

Wood, acrylic, neon. This piece was the outcome of exploring shapes cut out of scraps of wood. Neon is turquoise to the eye - the color the white surrounding surfaces are reflecting.

27” T x 11” W x 8” D

Vintage clarinet sections, kinetic beaded neon on custom wood base.

SOLD

28” T x 8” W x 8” D

Vintage Trumpet, neon and custom wood base

SOLD

25” T x 7” W x 7” D

Packet trumpet, neon and custom wood base

SOLD

36” T x 6.5” W x 6.5” D

One of a series of Spirit Totems to capture and attract balance, peace and tranquility

SOLD

36” T x 6.6” W x 6.5” D

Fused colors in neon, metal stand and custom wood base,

One of a series of solo Spirit totems to capture and attract balance, harmony and tranquility

SOLD

5' T x 23” W x 22” D

Vintage Chippendale Chair, neon, custom pedestal

I suppose we have all been in the hot seat at some point… this one is for some people that come to mind who are dividing our country. (They are getting closer and closer!)

Neon, metal, wood base

3’ T x 14.5” W x 10” D

“Spirit Totem Trio” emerged through guidance rather than design. In meditation, I saw three columns of living light — radiant, breathing energies that revealed themselves as Spirit, Serenity, and Balance. These forms asked to be made manifest, each with its own rhythm, hue, and proportion. I became the instrument, following the quiet direction of my spiritual guides who dictated the order, length, and color of every segment of glass.

The center totem, the tallest, embodies Spirit — the ascending force that links the seen and unseen worlds. The two companion totems stand beside it in gentle harmony, grounding the composition in calm reflection. Their glowing surfaces merge deep, saturated tones with passages of transparency where the pure argon within shimmers in an ethereal mist of blue-green light — the breath of the unseen made visible.

Hobart Mixing blades, neon, custom welded base

22 ¾ T x 12” W x 9” D

Two industrial mixing blades rise like sentinels of belief—vessels once used to knead sustenance, now transformed into symbols of renewal. Through their curved openings, light breathes: a soft white glow in front, and from behind, hues of cobalt, turquoise, and magenta pulse like quiet heartbeats.

The title turns on a double meaning—kneading and needing—suggesting that faith, like bread, must be worked, shaped, and tended to endure. “Kneading Faith 2025” holds a calm reverence, meeting each viewer differently: as a menorah, a stained-glass window, or a pure abstraction of spirit and light. It is both grounded and transcendent—an invitation to believe, to reflect, to knead hope back into form. It is my hope that the piece radiates a peaceful reverence that invites personal reflection.

Neon and wood base

10” T x 17” W x 7” D

“Fxck Yes!” is an illuminated declaration of joy — a radiant, defiant celebration of affirmation and belief. Bold yellow neon letters spell out the phrase against a swirling backdrop of raspberry-colored glass, the two forms colliding in a dance of energy and exuberance. It is a shout of triumph disguised as a laugh, an expletive transformed into light.

This work is not about profanity — it’s about permission. Permission to say yes to life, to creativity, to purpose; to embrace the full spectrum of feeling with humor and courage. The stylized spelling softens the shock while preserving the emotional charge — that electric pulse of pure conviction that every artist, every human, needs to move forward.

“Fxck Yes!” is the moment the doubt dissolves — the instant of fearless clarity when the answer is undeniable, glowing, and absolute. It’s a celebration of agency, vitality, and joy — a reminder that sometimes the most spiritual word we can utter… is yes.

Repurposed trombone, neon

Built upon the body of an actual trombone, “Euphonic Flame” transforms a brass instrument of breath and resonance into a vessel of living light. Rising vertically, the instrument becomes a conduit—bridging the human act of music-making with the ethereal energy of spirit.

Encircling the trombone’s slide is a radiant arc of multicolored neon glass, a spectrum of luminous tones interspersed with passages of clear glass that reveal the soft blue-green glow of combusted argon gas. This misty radiance feels like the very breath of the player made visible—an exhalation of life, energy, and sound captured in light.

From the upward-facing bell unfurls a spiraling flame of turquoise and fuchsia glass, its curves echoing the motion of vibration and the rising passion of music itself. Together, these elements illuminate the invisible—the unseen waves of tone and emotion that ripple through air and soul alike.

“Euphonic Flame” is both instrument and invocation: a visual hymn to the transformative power of sound, the sacred act of creation, and the eternal dance between breath, light, and spirit.

painted by Miguel Lee-Leon, Neon by Rod Lathim

Neon and acrylic, silver leaf

32 ½” T x 6” W x 4 ½” D

Aqua Sanctum—Latin for “sacred water”—is a meditation on stillness within flow.

Suspended above the painted surface, two entwined neon glass forms—green and turquoise—curve and weave like twin streams of luminous energy. Their quiet glow ripples outward, suggesting both water’s eternal motion and the unseen pulse of spirit.

In “Aqua Sanctum” the viewer is invited into a space of reflection—a sanctuary where color, light, and breath converge. It is a prayer in motion, a reminder that peace, like water, finds its way through everything.

“Aqua Sanctum” is not a place but a feeling—an unseen temple of flow and grace. It asks the viewer to pause, to listen inwardly, and to sense the divine rhythm that runs beneath all movement. Here, even stillness glows.

Repurposed framing moldings, acrylic, neon

21 ½” T x 13” W x 6 3/4” D

“Confluence” is a meditation on the meeting of energies—where color, texture, and light converge into harmony. The foundation is built from reclaimed fragments of ornate framing, each piece distinct in form and history, painted in a spectrum of tranquil hues. Together they create a landscape of vibration and memory—individual voices joining into a collective current.

Suspended above this mosaic, two freeform ribbons of neon—turquoise and sky blue—spiral and intertwine in graceful motion. Their luminous paths flow beyond the boundaries of the base, suggesting spirit transcending matter, water merging with air, and energy continuing beyond the visible edge.

Like rivers meeting in still water, Confluence invites a quiet contemplation of how diverse currents—of life, soul, and creation—find unity in movement, and peace in connection.

Deconstructed Violin, Vintage ephemera, Neon

32” T x 9 ½” W x 7” D

Ancestral Resonance reveals the hidden interior life of a violin — a vessel where sound once resonated, where music shaped memories, and where the quiet stories of generations still linger. Deconstructed and suspended in colorful fragments, the instrument stands weightless atop a wooden base and a vintage typeset block, suggesting uplift, revealing, and the universal lineage carried within every object touched by human hands.

Inside its open chamber, relics of lived experience assemble like a visual chord of vintage objects long retired. These artifacts—objects of work, play, craft, and time—evoke the lives this violin may have accompanied: the music it offered, the rooms it once filled, and the hands that held it through triumph, sorrow, and ordinary days.

Encircling the instrument, a luminous freeform ribbon of cobalt and turquoise neon glass flows like an unbroken melodic line, its argon glow animating the piece with motion and presence. The light becomes a metaphor for the unseen resonance of lineage—a reminder that every note played reverberates beyond its moment, traveling through families, eras, and hearts.

Whimsical, nostalgic, and quietly profound, Ancestral Resonance invites viewers to consider the inner histories that objects carry, and the harmonies—heard and unheard—that continue to shape us across time.

Repurposed violin, neon, vintage ephemera

26” T x 11” W x 5 ¾” D

“On a Wing and a Prayer” suspends a deconstructed violin in midair — its fragments hovering as if held together by faith alone. Each separated piece of the instrument bears its own vibrant color, suggesting that even in disarray, life remains radiant. Within the hollow bodies of the violin’s pieces rest small relics of time and craft — each an artifact of human endeavor and memory.

A single aged metal wing extends from one side, counterbalanced by a weathered protractor on the other — symbols of faith and reason, hope and measure, forever seeking equilibrium. Winding through and around the sculpture, a multicolored strand of neon breathes life and continuity into the scattered form, like a current of spirit binding the parts together.

In a world often divided by chaos and uncertainty, this piece stands as a testament to resilience — to the quiet, miraculous ways we keep ourselves aloft. “On a Wing and a Prayer” is both a hymn and a whisper of gratitude — a reminder that even when the structure of things falls apart, light, color, and hope still find their way through the cracks.

Vintage copper/brass bugle, neon, vintage wood gear mold, wood base

24” T x 9” W x 6” D

“Radiant Reveille” transforms a vintage bugle into a glowing herald of awakening — a call not of sound, but of light. The instrument, once used to rouse soldiers at dawn, now stands tall and timeless, reimagined as a beacon of creative and spiritual renewal.

From the bell of the horn spirals a vibrant swirl of yellow neon glass — a visual echo of the first bright note breaking through morning air. Around the curves of the bugle’s body, an orange ellipse of neon circles like a pulse, suggesting both vibration and continuity — the living rhythm that connects breath, sound, and light.

The warm glow of the neon reflects off the patinated copper, merging past and present in a luminous dialogue between tradition and transformation. “Radiant Reveille” is both an homage and an evolution: the call to awaken now becomes an invitation to illuminate — to rise into one’s own energy, purpose, and light.

Deconstructed grand piano parts, glass and metal

69” Tx 42” D x 22” W

A grand piano, once a vessel of sound. reborn as a sculpture of silence and light. “Pablo’s Piano” is a meditation on the essence of music — what remains when the melody fades, when the instrument is stripped to its soul.

MoMa in New York City presented an extraordinary exhibit of Picasso’s evolution of three dimensional work in 2015-16. This exhibit changed the chemistry of my brain and continues to have a major impact on my sculptural work. I deconstructed multiple grand pianos to create a series of re-constructed piano works. This was the first of these works. This piano has a special place in my heart as it lived at The Rubicon Theatre in Ventura, California, where I have directed, produced and acted. I met the legendary actor Jack Lemmon at this piano at The Rubicon.