Rockwall County’s secret mosaic garden opens for Mother’s Day

ROCKWALL, TX (April 27, 2023) For those who have never visited Hidden Mosaic, home of artist Barbara Dybala in rural Rockwall County, this Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity.

Tucked away on sprawling acreage (1075 S. Smith Road, Rockwall 75032), Hidden Mosaic is an artistic wonderland with eye-catching murals and meticulously handcrafted mosaics covering nearly every surface. Gates will open to the public from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, May 14 for the 13^th Annual Studio and Ground Tour, sponsored by Farmers Insurance.

Bring the family, a blanket and picnic lunch – even a fishing pole for the catch-and-release pond – and explore the mesmerizing magic of the property. Garland’s Tavern on the Square will be onsite serving beer, wine, sliders, street tacos and more. There will be a student art show, Artists Marketplace, and entertainment by the Herding Cats jazz band. You can even climb a mosaic stairwell, an experience that one visitor likened to “being inside Barbara’s brain.”

This year, Barbara encourages everyone to wear their favorite Star Wars costume in honor of the 3 p.m. unveiling of “Tractor Beam,” a stunning mosaic tractor conversion.

“Every year we reveal a giant, new mosaic,” Barbara said. “This year, a Ford 8N tractor is the core of the mosaic. The name ‘Tractor Beam’ is just that; it is a design taken from a tie fighter from Star Wars.”

The project was commissioned by Deidra Wilson in memory of her father who was a Star Wars fan and a tractor driving gardener in Winnsborro, TX. Deidra and Barbara collaborated for six months. This is Barbara’s third tractor to mosaic.

“So, all you Star Wars fans wear your costume and come take a photo with this crazy, wonderful, mosaic,” said Barbara, who specializes in commercial and city mosaic. Plenty of other photo opportunities abound throughout the property as well.

Admission to the Mother’s Day event is by donation (cash or check only; no credit cards).

The Hidden Mosaic Studio occasionally runs mini-workshops where artists can craft their own mosaic masterpiece, with all of the supplies needed at their disposal. The studio welcomes registered workshop students to stay the night in the Dragonfly Wing on the top level of the home, which comes complete with bunk beds and a patio with a sweeping view of the property’s beautiful backyard pond.