THE ORGANIZATION

She Bends was founded to support historically marginalized craftspeople in the neon trade and is dedicated to fostering a more equitable future for neon art. Through public education, curatorial projects, artist programs, and research, the organization promotes diversity, sustainability, and innovation within the field. Rooted in its origins as both a scientific wonder and a commercial tool, She Bends’ mission is to steward the evolution of neon within the contemporary framework of studio craft and fine art.

The organization has curated numerous museum exhibitions centering women and gender non-conforming contemporary artist benders. They have explored topics such as the pedagogical legacy of neon, the intersection of craft and spirituality, and the relationship between materiality and social responsibility. Notable exhibitions include Neon as Soulcraft at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco (2024), First Light: Rituals of Glass and Neon Art at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco (2023), Redefining Neon Legacy at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington (2022), Tend to Grow at the Institute of Contemporary Art in San Francisco (2021), Women in Neon II at the Loveland Museum in Colorado (2019), and Women in Neon I at the Museum of Neon Art in Los Angeles (2017).

She Bends also produces artist residencies, providing opportunities for underrepresented artists to expand their neon practice and engage with new narratives in the craft, in collaboration with institutions such as the Museum of Craft and Design, ICA SF, and Sentral Property Management. Public programs include workshops, lectures, and live neon bending demonstrations, aim to make the craft more accessible, demystify its technical processes and expand its recognition as an important fine art medium. Through these initiatives, She Bends’ programs foster a deeper understanding of neon art in an effort to encourage broader participation from diverse communities, and promote responsible stewardship of the trade. The organization has contributed to conversations on the legacy and contemporary evolution of neon art with institutions like the de Young Museum, the Getty Conservation Institute, the American Craft Council, and the National Museum for Women in the Arts.

The work of She Bends has been widely recognized and featured in publications such as the San Francisco Chronicle, American Craft Magazine,Colossal, San Francisco Magazine, KQED, 7x7 Magazine, SF Gate, Mercury News, Tacoma News Tribune, and Spectrum News. Through exhibitions, public programs, and its ongoing support of neon artists, She Bends continues to elevate the visibility and recognition of neon as an important art form, ensuring the craft evolves inclusively and sustainably.

The Team

MERYL PATAKY

Meryl Pataky is an artist and educator whose multidisciplinary work explores the relationship between hands and material. With a focus on neon, welding, and mixed media, Meryl creates abstract sculptures that reflect on universal connectedness through the elements of the periodic table. Her work is a physical meditation on the timeless spirituality of craft, manifested through the transformation of resistant materials into meaningful forms. By negotiating the tension between her will and the reality of the material, she embraces the dichotomies within herself, particularly in her recent work, which has evolved alongside her journey of motherhood. These works reflect both personal and universal emotions, exploring themes of resilience, transformation, and spiritual connection.

As a teacher and mentor, Meryl shares her craft through workshops, residencies, and one-on-one mentorship. She has taught neon bending to adults in her San Francisco studio and for over eight years, has been the middle school Arts Elective teacher at Synergy School. Meryl has also mentored high school students in programs such as Southern Exposure’s mentorship program and the YBCA Fellowship, where students designed neon signs for the Healthy Food Coalition initiative.

Her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including "A Common Burn" (2023), "A Modern Guilt" (2020), and "Not Long For This World" (2019) at Pt.2 Gallery, as well as publications like San Francisco Magazine, KQED, Live Fast Magazine, and Beautiful Decay Studio Visit. Meryl is a 2024 SECA Finalist at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and a 2022 Women in Lighting, Light Art awardee. Her work is included in the private collection of the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA.

Alongside her exhibitions and awards, Meryl is committed to making her craft accessible to others through education, community engagement, and the creation of large-scale public neon installations. This includes a major public commission for Kaiser and a neon installation set to open in San Francisco’s Union Square.

www.merylpataky.com

KELSEY ISSEL

Kelsey Issel is a culture worker and maker whose work is rooted in the ethos of craft—learning through doing, attention as value, and the connection between material and social responsibility. These elements inform how she designs programs, curates exhibitions, conducts research, and builds partnerships.

Her arts and culture firm, Opie Project (space), develops cross-sector programs that invest in cultural capital. Her public projects include an acquisitions fund with the de Young Museum, integrating 42 works by 30 local artists into its permanent collection; Culture Forward, a $5 million initiative centering artists and culture workers in San Francisco’s revitalization efforts; and Ocean-bound, which eliminated single-use plastic water bottles at high-capacity entertainment venues in the city.

Over the past 15 years, Kelsey has had the opportunity to work with organizations such as The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Headlands Center for the Arts, Coca-Cola, SF Recreation and Park, The Svane Family Foundation, The Bay Area Creative Foundation, and San Francisco’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development and has been featured in publications like the San Francisco Chronicle, KQED, Hyperallergic, and The Economist.

Beyond her professional programs, Kelsey dedicates much of her time to public service. Whether serving on a voter ballot board, teaching reading at public libraries, or delivering meals to home-bound seniors, this work nurtures her connection to community and self.

At its core, Kelsey’s practice is about maintenance—of objects, attention, and connection. Her personal material practice has been the foundation of her work. A deep interest in material experimentation has led her through alternative process photography, building cameras, tinkering on old cars, soft sculpture, furniture design, and, most recently, neon bending and installations. This hands-on exploration continues to shape her approach to art, culture, and the systems that support them.