“Rod, WOW, a day later and I'm still speechless. The piece is absolutely stunning! It's way more than I ever anticipated and then some. Not only was I shocked by how beautiful and creative it was, but I was also taken aback by the amount of emotion it stirred in me. It is as if you brought that part of my family back to life! You gave it breath and that feels so good! You are so gifted.

Thank you so so much for your brilliance and willingness to create such an amazing piece of art out of my family's history. It is by far the most special relic I have of my grandparents and I imagine always will be.

You nailed it! There is no doubt that you clearly channeled them while making the piece. Their energy, especially my grandmother's, was, is, so strong around it. It is the magical element that I didn't anticipate and it side-swiped me right off my feet. After Daniel and I finished our gifts I had to go outside, sit in the sun and have a good little cry,  a happy cry of course.”

Jenny VanSeters

Commissioned work for Jenny VanSeters titled

“Dot and Eddie” created with memorabilia from

Jenny’s grandparents.   Rod Lathim - 2009

“We were VERY taken with your work -- we've been talking about it non stop ever since.  You assemble materials to evoke what existed and has left us your imprint. I love to see things that are put together with skill, and composed with grace.  Your craftsmanship is invisibly fabulous and you compositions just grand.  So glad we saw it!”

Brad Hall and Julia Louis Dreyfus