John Ellsberry's Portfolio

Work samples

Barney Fife

This stained glass mosaic tile piece was made in the early 1990's and exhibited at Maryland Art Place (MAP) in a show called "TV Dinner: Channel to Channel". A review of the show can be found in the Baltimore Sun at http://search.app/1eggBoXsu7ByTmVr7It was later purchased and resides in a private collection in Baltimore. Image size for scale is 26"x32"
Gandhi

This stained glass mosaic tile portrait was made in 2015 for a dear friend who had recently lost his father to commemorate his heritage and his abiding respect for Gandhi's stand on non-violence and social change. It resides in a private collection in Nashville, Tennessee. Image size is 22"x25" for scale.
Frederick Douglass

This stained glass mosaic tile portrait of Frederick Douglass is part of a series of civil rights figures including Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and John Brown. It was made in 2019 to highlight the important ongoing work of racial justice. Image size is 8"x12" for scale.
Anne Frank

This stained glass mosaic tile portrait of Anne Frank was done in 2023 after reading "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank. The image was compelled by the enduring spirit and resilience of a young woman experiencing horrors no one, especially a child, should have to know. Image size is 21"x23" for scale.

About John

John Ellsberry is a Baltimore based visual artist whose primary medium is stained glass mosaic tile portraiture. Drawing inspiration originally from transom repair work as well as his photography background, John began to wonder if stained glass could be used to create more painterly/photographic images. He began experimenting using the glass to create mosaic tile portraits and has been working in the medium for more than thirty years. Each stained glass tile is hand cut utilizing the unique… more

Baltimore icons

This grouping of stained glass mosaic tile images are of iconic Baltimoreans and Baltimore landmarks.

Edgar Allan Poe
Billie Holiday
Babe Ruth

This piece of "The Babe" was made in 1995 to commemorate Babe Ruth's 100th birthday. It was the centerpiece of the celebration held at the museum and birthplace of his namesake. It resides in a private collection.
Baltimore Oriole
Washington Monument
Bromo Seltzer Tower

Civil and Human Rights activists

This grouping of stained glass mosaic tile portraits includes civil and human rights activists.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Harriet Tubman
Frederick Douglass
Rosa Parks
John Brown
JFK
Jimmy Carter
Einstein

Portraits

This grouping of stained glass mosaic tile portraits is a collection of iconic figures.

Dorothy
Dolly
Janet Leigh
Elvis
Liz
Barbara
Greta Garbo
Columbo
Herman Munster
Kissinger

Portraits

This grouping of stained glass mosaic tile portraits are of other recognizable people and animals.

Pig
Hoover
Nixon
Rooster
Cardinal
Wyn
Reggie
Red Barn
Slice of Cherry Pie
Wedding Heart

Light Boxes

These are examples of an enclosed light box created with a single piece of stained glass and a painted wood silhouette placed on top of it and lit from the back.

Shot Tower
Bromo Seltzer Tower
Washington Monument

Alligator Mural

Originally painted in 1987 as part of the graffiti abatement program, this iconic Baltimore mural has recently been completely repainted in 2024 with a conservation grant from the Maryland State Arts Council. The shape of the wall and its proximity to the Baltimore Zoo gave inspiration for the locally famous amphibians imagined to be escaping from the Zoo across the bridge. The Remington neighborhood has fondly adopted the alligators as its unofficial mascot showing up on book covers, tee shirts, and beer cans. Assisted by several local Baltimore artists.

Alligator Mural
Alligator Mural
Alligator Mural
Alligator Mural
Alligator Mural
Alligator Mural
Alligator Mural
Alligator Mural
Alligator Mural

Mural Work

These are examples of mural work done in Baltimore City in the 90's.

1850's Train Mural
1930's Train
Trains both sites

These murals were painted in 1994 as part of the Baltimore Mural Project and once could be viewed in the 900 block of West Pratt Street. Because of their proximity to the B&O Railroad Museum, the murals pay homage to our rich history of trains and their importance in American history.
"I've been working on the railroad"

Painted in the early 1990's as part of the Baltimore Mural Project, this mural was once able to be seen on the south side of the B&O railroad museum. The image pays homage to the hardworking men who were the heart of the railroads.
Mayfair Theater Mural

This mural was commissioned by the City of Baltimore specifically for the opening of the Light Rail along Howard Street as it coincided with the opening of Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 1992. The Orioles, a Baltimore based doo-wop band in the late 1940's-early 1950's, were known for a song called "At Night" and were chosen as an homage to a night ball game in the new stadium and in keeping with the theme of entertainment at the Mayfair Theater. Billie Holiday sang a song called "Trav'lin' Light" and it seemed fitting to have Baltimore's most famous native entertainer usher in the new Light Rail past the theater to the ball park. Assisted by Betsy Greene.
Mayfair Theater Mural
Mayfair Theater Mural installation

Taj Mahal

This life size replica of the Taj Mahal was done for Artscape 2013 when the theme was "No Passport Required". It was made of painted wood and secured to the Charles Street bridge. Visitors had a lot of fun photographing themselves in front of "the Taj".

Taj Mahal
Taj

The Dork Brothers

"The Dork Brothers" comic strip was co-created with Michael Gentile in 1981 and ran until 1991 in several publications, The Baltimore City Paper, The Washington City Paper, and the New York Press.

The Dork Brothers "Le Trende de Shoppe Unlimited, etc"
The Dork Brothers "Plant Tips"
The Dork Sisters "Two Turkeys in a Henna House"
The Dork Brothers "Underwear"
The Dork Brothers "Funktown"

This model of a fictional town, Funktown, was made around 1984 and was on display at School 33. It was used in a short film featuring the Dorks called Funktown.
The Dork Brothers "Funktown"