Outdoor

Lauren Herzak-Bauman

Lakewood, OH

"I make pottery, sculpture, and public art. Within each of these practices, I fuse concept and craft to create a transformative experience."

I am a professional artist living and working in Northeast Ohio with over twenty years of experience in developing a wide range of commissioned art projects, including works for hospitals, colleges and universities, offices, and hotels. Completed works range in scope from sculptural relief treatments, freestanding sculptures, interactive works, and wall sculptures. I am known for my creative use of materials and mindful and inclusive approach to each project.

I have built my reputation on making public and private artworks that put art in service of place and community. I start concept development with ideas of resilience, growth, and innovation in mind, merging these with greater goals of each specific site. Much exploration and research goes into each project. I seek visual cues and community input as I work through ideas. I design with a timeless relevance in mind, an artwork to be enjoyed by generations, always focusing on how materials and objects can reflect and highlight the site and surroundings.

Midcentury modern design, nature, and the Japanese philosophy of wabi sabi inform my functional work. Born from a desire to connect sculpture with utility, each handcrafted pot is fully functional. I design each pot from= a lump of clay, a large block from which each form will take shape. Drawing from research, I remove, carve, and refine each piece until the angles merge with flat planes to create a vessel. I take molds from these originals and utilize the process of slipcasting to create limited editions of each design. Porcelain is my clay of choice for its durable brilliance; each handcrafted glaze reflects this white layer underneath. Variation and imperfection, an inevitable outcome of handmade work, is always welcome.

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