At the time these pieces were created, I was living in Phoenix, Arizona, and I found myself influenced by the desert landscapes around me. The addition of neon was an effort on my part to try to capture the vibrant colors of the stained electron-microscopic images I was referencing, while also alluding to the luminosity of neon in the desert. Culturally, neon is often associated with beer signs and night clubs, a garish association I wanted to avoid. I desired the intense luminosity but not the cultural connotation, so I recessed the neon into the wood thereby allowing the light to cascade out onto the form without revealing its source.