by Matiara Huff
In honor of the 50 Women Exhibit, we have conducted an interview with Beth Lo, one of the 50 very talented artist involved in this exhibit.
Beth Lo is a ceramic artist based in Missoula, Montana. Much of 
Lo’s ceramic and mixed media artwork revolves around issues of family and her Asian ethnicity, culture and language. Lo uses calligraphy and references origami, mahjong and traditional Chinese pottery and figurines. Lo was invited to participate by Anthony Merino who was working with Alex Kraft, a former student:
It is always an honor to participate in an exhibition organized by the two of them, and it is an honor to be chosen as one of 50 Women who have made a contribution to the field of ceramics. The NCECA at Kansas City this year is a milestone event, and I’m happy to be represented in this way. I suspect attendance will be high.
The 50 Women Exhibit is the first large-scale exhibition of women’s contributions to ceramics, and aims to showcase the unprecedented amount of highly skilled women in ceramic arts. As a participant, Lo sees this as more than an opportunity for exposure, and and even sales. As a female artist, she believes women have much to add to ceramic arts:
I think women have played a major role in the development of ceramics in the contemporary art movement since about the 1950’s. There are an increasing number of professionals in teaching positions and in private studio situations, residency programs and art centers. I believe women have a unique viewpoint and maybe even a unique aesthetic to add to the “conversation” about ceramic art. Feminism in both the social and artistic arenas has been an important factor in the growth of women’s participation in the field.
View more on Beth Lo’s work on her website or wikipedia page. If you would like more information on the exhibit or the American Jazz Museum a link is provided here.