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Roadhouse Relics: Local artist doing his best to keep Austin weird

Meet neon pop artist Todd Sanders, from Roadhouse Relics.

AUSTIN, Texas — Willie Nelson, Kacey Musgraves and Johnny Depp are just a few of the celebrities that neon pop artist Todd Sanders has created art for.

Sanders is the artist inside Roadhouse Relics, a studio where you can find vintage-style designs. 

“If I do my job right, I don’t get any credit for it. People think it’s an antique piece that was found out on Route 66 somewhere,” said Sanders. 

He does most of the hand lettering on the signs himself, and says rather than talent, he has tenacity.

“I know what I want, and I stick with it until I get it,” Sanders said.

He sells his art all over the world, including Australia, London and Italy. He also has signs inside Roadhouse Relics for purchase. Outside Roadhouse Relics is an Austin mural, and in the backyard there are antique signs from all over Austin and Texas.

One piece in the backyard is the Terminix bug, which played a big role in his life. In late 1990 Sanders was on a road trip to New Braunfels and accidentally found himself in Austin.

He saw the Terminix Bug and told his friend, “I’m moving to this town and I’m going to learn how to make neon signs.”

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And he did. 

Sanders said, “I really hope that encouraging spirit of just to be an original, and be yourself, that’s really what makes Austin so special. And I hope it lives on. If I have anything to do with it, it will.”

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