STILLNESS IN FOCUS

Perry Lawson Fine Art is pleased to present Stillness in Focus, a two-person exhibition featuring photographs by Jefferson Hayman and paintings by Stephanie Serpick. Hayman and Serpick share a common visual language in their exploration of deeply personal and emotional themes, sensitively rendered and stripped of extraneous details. Both artists touch on notions of memory, nostalgia, and solitude. Creating clean, uncluttered compositions in their respective mediums, they each express the human experience in subtle and distinct ways.

Jefferson Hayman references nostalgia, common symbols, and memory in his photographs. Drawing on his fine arts education and frame-making experience, Hayman combines traditional craftsmanship with a contemporary yet timeless aesthetic. He employs understated symbols and meditative studies, creating a visual journal of transformation, discovery, and solitude. Each photograph, handcrafted as a silver gelatin, platinum, or pigment print, reflects tonal delicacy reminiscent of early Pictorial photography. Paired with antique or artist-made frames, each piece tells a unique story, showcasing the artist's meticulous attention to the unique characteristics of each image.

Hayman's work is found in numerous private and public collections, including the Museum of Modern Art Library, The Boston Athenaeum, The New York Public Library, and in the collections of Sir Elton John and Robert DeNiro. In 2015 Hayman was awarded the prestigious Pollock-Krasner grant. He lives and works in Nyack, NY.

Stephanie Serpick’s paintings explore themes of isolation and grief, drawing from shared challenges faced in both physical and mental health, and eventual healing. The experiences of grief and comfort are suggested by unmade beds and tossed sheets on intentionally sparse backgrounds. Images of windows with blowing or transparent curtains convey a sense of detachment from the outside world. Devoid of human presence, the paintings evoke a hushed loneliness, reflecting universal experiences during personal challenges, as well as comfort and contemplative quiet. Derived from found photographs, the intimate-sized paintings emphasize these personal and private moments.

Serpick’s paintings have been included in numerous exhibitions in the U.S. and internationally. She is the recipient of prestigious awards, including the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant in 2020 and the Ruth and Harold Chenven Foundation Grant in 2018. Serpick received a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and an MFA from the University of Chicago. She currently lives and works in Nyack, NY.