ALSO AT THE ART MUSEUM

ALSO AT THE ART MUSEUM

Dalton artist Bill Tersteeg used to create pieces that reflected human degradation of the environment, but now he concentrates on showcasing the beauty nature still has.

We're doing enough ugly stuff, he said. Why can't I focus on something aesthetic?

Several examples of his ceramic pottery are on display through mid-December at the Allentown Art Museum, where visitors may notice his appreciation for fish.

We're tied to the earth by gravity, but fish aren't. They can move horizontally and vertically, he said, explaining how he felt inspired, during a memorial service for a friend who had a koi pond, to create a piece in which a fish represented her spirit. Recently retired after 40 years teaching at Keystone College, Tersteeg said he will devote himself to his art full-time.