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Appalachian Tradition Lives On In Preston County Potter

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On this West Virginia Morning, we visit with a potter who spends a lot of time on his Preston County property collecting clay-rich soils. We also learn about musician and composer Markus Reuter.

Look through your kitchen cabinet – it’s likely you have a ceramic plate or bowl. Most are made in factories these days, but many of our Appalachian ancestors made their pottery by hand.

Today, a lot of artists still make pottery, but it’s rare to find someone who sources their own clay. A potter in Preston County, West Virginia, uses traditional techniques – digging up clay in his own backyard. Our folklife reporter Caitlin Tan has the story.

Musician and composer Markus Reuter is not a household name, but Eclectopia host Jim Lange says his new album, Truce, may change that. Lange has this profile.  

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from West Virginia University, Concord University, and Shepherd University.