| LATHI IS A CREATIONIST
Lathi has been creating pottery works that have been sold world-wide
By Bob Weaver 2023
Pottery designer Keith Lathi was a back-to-lander coming to the backwoods of Calhoun-Clay county in 1973 near the head of Walker Creek, the long gone Village of Floe.
A large number of back-to-landers came to Calhoun and regional counties in the 1960s-1970s, when price the price of land was $100 an acre, some still sticking and many going into the big world and making their mark.
"I was born and raised in Detroit, by a professional musician mother and a teacher father who loved woodworking. I was encouraged to be creative from childhood. I attended Albion Collage in Michigan as an art major," said Lathi
After graduation in 1971 he bought a wheel and built a kiln and pursued pottery vigorously. There was very little information available and no internet, so his learning was very much trial and error, mostly error for a while.
Lathi's creations are on display at his studio and can be found on the web
After coming to West Virginia, he attended the annual Potter's Gathering, featuring a weekend each year of the top potters in the world sharing their techniques and formulas. Lathi attended the gathering for 40 years and said, "I got my MFA" there.
Lathi built a studio and house in the backwoods, and continues to make a living as a potter. "I have developed my own distinctive line of glazes. I sold at art fairs and shops for decades
and now do most sales from my studio. I have taught school kids and pottery professionals. I have exhibited in many juried exhibitions and was Vice Chair of the Tamarack Foundation for ten years."
He continues to explore new facets of clay work and look for ways to share what has found.
His works have been sold around the world. | 
