Entry No. 47 — the Chicago file — filed under: hands-on
Lightwriters Neon
A rare public-facing neon studio whose whole mission is teaching the disappearing craft of bending glass tube and electrifying it with gas. They run group classes, private lessons, and bench rentals for all skill levels in a Ravenswood industrial loft. You heat soft glass over ribbon burners, bend it to shape, and watch it glow when filled with neon or argon.
The story
Most neon flickering over late-night taverns is a dying breed—or worse, cheap LED imitations stuffed into silicone sleeves. True neon bending is an endangered trade, long hidden inside locked industrial workshops. Lightwriters Neon opens up those trade secrets inside a loft studio at 4222 North Ravenswood Avenue, running one of the rare public-facing spaces dedicated entirely to teaching you how to shape glass and fire it with gas.
Tucked into Suite 202/3 along the Ravenswood industrial corridor, this family-run operation handles custom neon design while putting flames directly into the hands of novices. You aren't just buying art off a wall; you rotate hollow soft glass tubing over scorching ribbon burners until the glass softens, bending curves by hand before the material cools and locks in place.
The real moment comes at the vacuum manifold. Once your tube is shaped, the air gets sucked out and replaced with noble gases—neon for vivid red-orange, argon for bright blue—before high-voltage electricity turns the gas into a liquid-bright line of light. Whether you book a private lesson or rent bench space as a seasoned maker, you leave knowing how high heat and electric charge convert plain glass into glowing argon and neon.
What it's like
Expect the ambient roar of gas burners and dry heat the moment you walk into Suite 202/3. You will stand at a workstation with safety glasses on, learning the delicate rotation required to heat soft glass tube evenly over ribbon burners without slumping it. Your first bend will probably look a little wobbly, but watching your own handiwork get hooked to a transformer and explode into vivid light cures any perfectionism. The studio operates strictly by appointment, so reserve your class or private lesson ahead of time.
The move: Take a private lesson together and each bend a glowing glass shape under a working artist's guidance, then compare your wobbly first tubes lit up side by side.
- 📍 Ravenswood
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 4222 N. Ravenswood Ave, Suite 202/3, Chicago, IL 60613
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Chicago Glass Collective — Stay with molten materials by heading a tenth of a mile down the hall for stained glass, fusing, and sandblasting.
- Chicago School of Shoemaking & Leather Arts — Trade hot glass burners for heavy industrial leather tools less than a mile south in Ravenswood.
- Woolly Mammoth Antiques & Oddities — Contrast fresh electric glass art with a stroll through Andersonville's crammed cabinet of preserved oddities and vintage artifacts.
- Graceland Cemetery and Arboretum — Balance the high-voltage glow of the studio with a quiet walk among Victorian monuments and famous mausoleums down in Uptown.
Good to know
Do I need any prior glassbending experience?
No. The studio runs introductory group workshops and private lessons designed for complete beginners, covering torch technique, glass bending, and gas illumination step by step.
What is the difference between neon and argon gas in the tubes?
Pure neon gas glows red-orange when electrified. Argon gas glows blue. By pairing these gases with colored or phosphor-coated glass tubing, benders produce the full color spectrum.
Can experienced benders rent shop time here?
Yes. Beyond classes and private lessons, Lightwriters offers bench rentals for experienced artists who need access to torches, ribbon burners, and gas-processing equipment.
Where is the studio located?
It is in Ravenswood at 4222 N. Ravenswood Ave, Suite 202/3, right along the industrial rail corridor.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: neon-chicago.com · blockclubchicago.org · business.ravenswoodchicago.org
last checked: 2026-06-23