Neon and Nostalgia

An ongoing photographic journey documenting vintage neon signs and other roadside nostalgia. Photography by René Domingo.

Gallery

Exibition Dates: January 21, 2020 - February 13, 2020

Artist Statement

René Domingo recalls being drawn to photography while attending CSUS in the late 80’s, but it wasn’t until years later when her formal training began at Cosumnes River College in 2008.

Powerful childhood influences serve as René's foundation for the nostalgic sentiment expressed in her work. Memories of roller skating, pedaling around on her Schwinn “Lil’ Chic” bike and summers spent along the Sacramento River in a pink 1958 Roadmaster mobile home can be felt in the vintage vibe René creates today.

René enjoys shooting on location, seeking the ideal environment that assists in the narrative of each project. Passionate about documenting places and spaces often overlooked, she is fueled by the hunt for quintessential Americana.

Based in Sacramento, René’s colorful images have been displayed in galleries, retail spaces and private homes in-and-around Sacramento, Lake Tahoe and Portland, Oregon.

NEON AND NOSTALGIA

Best described as an ongoing passion project, Neon and Nostalgia is the result of a yearlong adventure, spanning three states. The mission: Documenting vintage neon signs and other relics of Americana.

Crystallization of this thematic project stemmed from architectural interest in areas like Old North Sacramento, the Greater Broadway District, and communities in Shasta and Siskiyou Counties. In a largely forgotten era, many of these areas had major thoroughfares running through the center of town. René began piecing together transitional neighborhoods with historic highways, seeing them for what they represented in their original glory—vibrant destinations where people lived, worked, socialized, and vacationed.

Neon and Nostalgia is a small sampling of a meaningful period in American history when life was less complicated, road travel was the norm, and neon signage—the technology of its time—lured us in with its vibrant colors, wow-factor, and charm. Please enjoy!