New Work by William Tersteeg
Feb 4-27
@401 S. Austin Street
In his current body of work, “The Lighthouse — Safe Passage in a Turbulent Sea,” ceramic sculptor William Tersteeg explores the lighthouse as a symbol of stability and a beacon of safe passage in our world’s turbulent times.
The new exhibition will be viewable and available for collection Feb. 4–27 at Rockport Center for the Arts (RCA). A public reception with Tersteeg will be held Saturday, Feb. 5, from 5–7 p.m. at RCA to officially launch the show, which is free and open to the public. The reception will be part of the Rockport Art Loop, a free, alfresco, walkable art experience from 5–7 p.m. featuring RCA and other galleries located in downtown Rockport.
“Tersteeg created all of these new works with Rockport in mind,” said Elena Rodriguez, exhibitions curator for Rockport Center for the Arts. “Although he is from Pennsylvania, he has heard of the resilience of the art community of Rockport which, like a lighthouse, weathers the most turbulent seas.”
In addition, Tersteeg has also been selected as the RCA Artist-in-Residence for 2022, working from a temporary studio during his month-long February stay in Rockport. While in residence, Tersteeg will lead workshops for RCA members and at Rockport-Fulton High School, and the Art Center also will arrange studio tours so patrons can meet Tersteeg and discuss his artistic process and vision. Since 2012, RCA has invited one artist each year to take part in the program, a unique undertaking made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor.
The Pennsylvania-based Tersteeg says that through his work, made of the earth, he contemplates the relationships we have with our world and the challenges of our stewardship. He is intrigued by the way a line moves on a curved surface, revealing both the etched surface and the depicted space, and marvels at how light reflects the glazed surfaces, engaging textures and colors, changing with shifting light conditions. Having participated in dozens of exhibitions, including many national and international shows, the award-winning ceramic sculptor sees himself as a visual poet, who, like other artists, creates from what he is. Earning his M.F.A. in Ceramics from Southern Illinois University, Tersteeg has served as owner of the Crystal Earth Gallery, located in North Abington Township, Pa., since 1990.
“The Lighthouse — Safe Passage in a Turbulent Sea,” presents the lighthouse as a symbol of hope and a beacon of safety on the edge of the troubled sea. “Lighthouses are constructed to withstand powerful, violent storms and turbulent ocean waters, so it is no wonder they are frequently depicted as symbols of strength,” said Tersteeg. “They are also reflections of my visual, intellectual, and emotional world. I am the poet, musician, dancer, and author on a creative path that leads me through a visual journey. Along the way, I’m able to include content that reflects the landscapes of coastal environments and records the history of our coasts.”
“The Lighthouse — Safe Passage in a Turbulent Sea,” also coincides with the Rockport Clay Expo held Feb. 5–6 at various locations around Rockport. Resuming in 2022 for its 19th year after being canceled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the popular show features numerous clay artists, including Tersteeg, with exhibits, clay demonstrations, and more.
Organized by the Aransas County Council on Aging, the annual two-day Expo includes numerous exhibits and activities including The Bountiful Bowl Pottery Fair, returning to Rockport–Fulton High School on Saturday, Feb. 5, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m., with a suggested admission of $5. In addition to the works of 21 talented potters, the Bountiful Bowl event also features ceramic demonstrations by various artists on Sunday, Feb. 6, including Tersteeg, in downtown Rockport. Proceeds from the Pottery Fair benefit the Meals on Wheels Program. A complete schedule of Clay Expo events will be made available at bountifulbowl.org.
“For 19 years during the month of February, Rockport’s art community has focused on the work of ceramicists across the State of Texas,” said Luis Purón, executive director for Rockport Center for the Arts. “We are very excited to bring William Tersteeg, now our tenth artist in residence, to participate in a local tradition — The Bountiful Bowl Pottery Fair — that was born in his home state of Pennsylvania.”
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
In my current body of work, I explore the lighthouse as a symbol of stability and a beacon of safe passage in our world’s turbulent times.
For as long as I’ve worked as a ceramic sculptor, I have seen myself as a visual poet. Like all artists, I create from what I am. This work presents the lighthouse as a symbol of hope, a beacon of safety on the edge of the troubled sea. Lighthouses are constructed to withstand powerful, violent storms and turbulent ocean waters, so it is no wonder they are frequently depicted as symbols of strength. They are also reflections of my visual, intellectual and emotional world. I am the poet, musician, dancer and author on a creative path that leads me through a visual journey. Along the way I’m able to include content that reflects the landscapes of costal environments and records the history of our coasts.
Intellectually, my work deals with the functioning of a form as we experience it and maps the geometry of three-dimensional space. I am intrigued by the way a line moves on a curved surface revealing both the etched surface and the depicted space. I marvel at how light reflects the glazed surfaces, engaging textures and colors, changing with shifting light conditions.
Emotionally, I struggle within my reality and my life’s memories and reflections. Through my work, made of the earth, I contemplate the relationships we have with our world and the challenges of our stewardship.
My art and my life exist hopeful that knowledge and truth will create what is right for our future.