Beth Lo (b.1949)

Beth Lo, born on October 11, 1949, in Lafayette, Indiana, is a distinguished artist whose work explores the intersections of childhood, family, Asian heritage, and language. Raised by parents who had recently emigrated from China, her cultural background deeply informs her artistic practice. Lo earned a Bachelor of General Studies from the University of Michigan in 1971 before pursuing ceramics under the mentorship of Rudy Autio at the University of Montana, where she earned her MFA in 1974. In 1985, she took on the role of Professor of Ceramics at the University of Montana, a position she held after Autio's retirement. Lo’s teaching excellence was recognized with two Provost’s Distinguished Lecturer Awards from the University of Montana, in 2006 and 2010.

Lo’s work has garnered international attention, with her being invited to contribute to the 7th Gyeonggi International Ceramics Biennale in Korea in 2013. Her creative achievements have earned her numerous honors, including the $50,000 United States Artists Hoi Fellowship in 2009, a $20,000 National Endowment for the Arts Visual Artist Fellowship Grant in 1994, and a Montana Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship in 1989. Her sculptures and pottery are featured in the permanent collections of prestigious institutions such as the Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art at Alfred University, Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Microsoft Corporation, and the Yellowstone Art Center in Billings, MT, among others.

Beyond her ceramics, Lo has collaborated with her sister, author Ginnie Lo, on two beloved children’s picture books: Auntie Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic (2012) and Mahjong All Day Long, which won the 2005 Marion Vannett Ridgeway Award. She has also worked closely with her mother, the Chinese brush painter Kiahsuang Shen Lo. Outside of the studio, Beth Lo is an active musician, performing as a bass player and vocalist with the Big Sky Mudflaps and Salsa Loca. The Big Sky Mudflaps, a swing and jazz ensemble, has performed at notable venues such as the NBC Today Show and the Kool Jazz Festival, adding another layer to Lo’s dynamic artistic identity.


PLEASE CHECK OUR POTSHOP PAGE FOR MORE OF BETH LO’S POTS.