SCC Alumna Artwork Selected in National Art Competition

Published: 03/03/2021

Being accepted into an art exhibition is welcomed news for any artist. It was no different for St. Charles Community College alumna Claudia Svoboda last fall when her work was accepted into the Global Impact: The Wake of COVID exhibition at the Foundry Arts Centre in St. Charles. The all-media exhibition focused on what artists have been working on with the global impact of COVID-19. 

“I definitely feel excited when I get accepted in exhibitions,” said Svoboda. “The receptions are always a good excuse to be with friends and family and appreciate art.”

Although she has been interested in art for as long as she can remember, Claudia Svoboda vividly recalls the moment she realized it was her calling. She was in the first grade, and she began to realize she might enjoy art a bit more than everyone else.

“I specifically remember making an oil pastel portrait of my best friend and myself, and I was so happy with the aesthetic and emotional outcome of the project,” recalled Svoboda. “In fourth grade, I made the decision that I wanted to pursue art and started to identify as an artist.”

Both artists themselves, Svoboda’s parents encouraged her to follow her passion for the arts. When it came time to choose a school, Svoboda toured many colleges, but was discouraged by the expense of many colleges and didn’t feel they were worth the cost.

“I chose St. Charles Community College because it allowed me to figure myself out while not having to put a ton of money into something that I was unsure of,” she explained. 

Svoboda appreciated the knowledge and life skills her experience at SCC offered her, and she relishes the positive influences she had from her professors.

“Brent Becker and Brian Smith’s studio art classes helped me grow so much as an artist,” beamed Svoboda. “They both believed in my success and spent incredible amounts of energy pushing me to do great things.”

Her talent was apparent to art professor Brian Smith early on.

“Claudia is one of our best art students in recent years,” said Smith. “She arrived with a significant amount of talent, a strong work ethic and an established artistic identity. She stood out for the caliber of her work and her outgoing personality.”

Though she came to SCC with a natural talent, Svoboda learned a great deal on the importance of critiques, learning the basics and accepting artistic advice from professors.

“I find that a lot of art students take things personally and take critiques as an attack," said Svoboda. “You have to understand that your teachers are there to help you and want what is best for you as an artist. My advice to future art students: try to go into your classes without an ego and detach your self-worth from your creations as much as possible.”

She hasn’t won any awards yet, but Svoboda continues to strive for excellence and growth. She has been accepted into many Foundry Art Centre shows in St. Charles, as well as shows at Art St. Louis and Fontbonne University.