OBJETS D'ART

Lois Harbaugh is a maker of vessels in every sense of the word. Like a collage artist or builder, she assembles her forms from an eclectic toolbox of techniques: wheel-throwing, hand-building, slip casting, press molding, extruding, and even the delightfully low-tech cardboard “drop mold.” These diverse approaches allow her to construct shapes that are as inventive as they are evocative.

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For Lois, vessels transcend their functional origins. They are symbols—iconic shapes with boundless potential to carry not just objects, but also meaning. Whether expressing a narrative or indulging in playful word associations, her work thrives on a verbal undercurrent, where form meets language and sparks fly.

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The vessel has become Lois’ voice, a medium through which she shapes not only clay but also ideas. Her work invites us to consider what a vessel holds—physically, conceptually, and emotionally—making each piece a story, a question, or a clever turn of phrase in its own right. For Lois, joy is not just in making; it’s in making meaning.

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