Lauren Ross (b. 2004, New Orleans) is an Atlanta-based artist whose sculptural practice explores the natural transformation of raw materials through experimentation, observation, and research. Drawing on themes of interpersonal connection, movement, and interaction, she primarily works with soils and varieties of dirt collected from locations throughout Georgia. Through material studies, she examines the distinct colors, textures, and compositions of each soil, exploring how its origins and physical properties influence the sculptural process and final form. Connecting its origins and physical transformation to the ways people form relationships, carry experiences, and change through interaction. Soil can represent the shared ground between individuals, while its mixture of different materials reflects the coming together of distinct identities, histories, and experiences. Its ability to shift, crack, and transform over time parallels the instability and evolution of human relationships. The soil does not simply represent people coming together; it represents how connection changes both parties. Each material influences the other, just as relationships leave lasting impressions on the individuals involved. 

Ross creates large-scale, abstract sculptures encased in mixtures of locally sourced soil, using the material as a covering that envelops intricate structures of movement and interaction. Through testing, repetition, and observation, she allows the soil to naturally transform as it dries, weathers, cracks, and breaks apart. These changes become integral to the work, emphasizing material instability, transformation, and the passage of time. Influenced by material processes, Ross's work has been exhibited at Kai Lin Gallery in the Friends of Gene exhibition. She is currently pursuing a BFA in Sculpture at the Savannah College of Art and Design.