SHFAP presents an exhibition in celebration of Solstice acknowledging both the coming light and growing darkness in the new year. Alive In a Sea of Information presents paintings and works on paper by Peter Acheson, paintings by Mary Flinn, collages by writers John Yau and David Shapiro, with additional works by painters Christoper Wool and Mary Heilmann. The exhibition describes relationships within the various mediums of writing and painting.

This show originated from a group of recently framed works on paper from Peter Acheson, paired with the paintings by his partner, Mary Flinn. Peter’s paintings have incorporated asemic writing in a patchwork of cursive painterly invention. Peter is part of the original group of Williamsburg painters from the 1980s including Katherine Bradford and Chris Martin. He followed the path of Chinese hermits by moving to Upstate New York, before the deluge, to create his work amidst the hills and woods of the Hudson Valley.

Mary Flinn is a graduate of Swain School of Design and a yoga teacher. Mary’s abstractions mix glittery landscape with biomorphic figures that seem to emerge from eastern philosophy and Odilon Redon.

John Yau and David Shapiro can be referred to as second generation New York School Poets. Additionally, they are writers of criticism. This exhibition investigates a more private strand of their work, the creation of paper collages. Both Yau and Shapiro evidence the cross pollination between writing and visual art that was a hallmark of the New York School.