Barbara Svoboda's portfolio

Work samples

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Commission of a stained glass mosaic fireplace insert.
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Commission of the facade of the Med-Chi building in Baltimore, in stained glass mosaic.
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I made this freeform peyote necklace as a commission from a friend for his wife's birthday present. This type of beadwork is done with Fireline, a very fine fishline, on a needle, and has no pre-conceived plan. It just grows.
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Peony done in a painterly stained glass mosaic style.

About Barbara

Baltimore County

Barbara Svoboda
Resident of Catonsville
Taught art for 33 years in elementary schools in Anne Arundel County.
Have taken mosaic classes with Isaiah Zagar, Susan Crocenzi, Gila Rayberg, Rick Shelley, Bonnie Fitzgerald, Candace Clough, and Yulia Hanansen.
Teach mosaics in various venues, including AVAM and the Gem Cutters Guild. I also teach jewelry classes through the Baltimore Bead Society.
Have had a number of commissions, and have shown work at the Creative… more

View Barbara's Resume

Garden Wall and other Yard Art

Our backyard garden wall. This took me 3-plus summers to complete the 4 panels. It is 12 feet across and 5 feet high, done in the pique assiette, or broken china method. During the pandemic I also created a group of garden sculptures.

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My biggest project to date has been a 4-panel garden wall of broken china, in our back yard. Each summer I did a panel.
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Tabletop on porch, stained glass mosaic based on an African-American quilt.
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Stained Glass mosaic fascia board on porch
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Pique assiette mailbox

Smaltimore Series

A couple of years ago I started a series of Baltimore-related projects, incorporating both polymer clay and mosaics of various kinds, including tempered glass mosaic. Since then I have continued to create more "Smaltimore" pieces, due to popular demand!

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A Smaltimore piece on reclaimed base, with polymer clay and tempered glass mosaics.
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The Longer You Live Here

Jewelry: Freeform Peyote Necklaces

Using seed beads, fireline, and a needle, I concoct these freeform necklaces without any plan.

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Commissioned for a friend's birthday present from her husband, in her favorite colors.
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Freeform peyote beaded necklace
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Freeform peyote beaded necklace
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Closeup of freeform peyote

Pique Assiette Mirrors with China Figures

I acquired a ring saw, which enables me to saw china. This opened doors for me, in that I could include 3-D figures in hanging mosaics by sawing the backs flat.

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Happy Buddha shrine-like mosaic with mirror
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Child in the Garden mosaic
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Center of a piece in Dutch blue and white with a china windmill.
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Pique assiette mosaic of a Japanese woman in a garden gazebo
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Pique assiette mosaic with Buddha.
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Blue and gold pique assiette Buddha.

Painterly stained glass mosaics

I took a class with master mosaicist Yulia Hanansan, and made several mosaics in her style.

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Orchid from the Conservatory at Druid Hill Park, done in stained glass in a painterly style.
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Peony stained glass mosaic in the style of Yulia Hanansan.
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Stained glass mosaic in a painterly style.
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Stained glass mosaic flower in a painterly style.
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Painterly style of glass mosaic, a portrait of our two kitties, Rufus and Sophie.
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Portrait of Vincent Van Gogh done in a painterly style of mosaics.
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Stained glass mosaic of Vincent Van Gogh
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Stained glass mosaic of Edgar Allen Poe

Commissions

Works that clients have commissioned me to do .

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Stained glass mosaic mirror commissioned by neighbor for their home.
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A stained glass mosaic commissioned by some friends for a fireplace insert.
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Pique assiette mosaic made with family china pieces for a client. It hangs in her kitchen.
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Mosaic table for the deck of some friends in Philly. My first commission.
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A commission from a friend who was retiring from Med-Chi, and wanted a mosaic of the facade of the building to be the gift from her colleagues. It was the hardest mosaic ever, since I had to cut each tiny brick and arrange them in the requisite pattern.