While hosting a reception at Gallery AiA, I was approached by a friend and was told that I must meet a local artist by the name of Jeffrey Wilcox Paclipan who happened to be attending that night. This is a situation that springs up at most of the receptions, and I have met some wonderful artists in just that way. My first instinct is to always ask what kind of work the artist creates. In this case my friend told me that he works with puzzle pieces to create sculptures. I will have to admit, I was hesitant as I am not a huge fan of art that is based around a gimmick. I had fears of celebrity portraits created with string, spinning paint cans, and all the other works that just simply look fun on Instagram but lacking actual content and creativity.

Once I was introduced to Jeffrey, we began to talk about his work and how it entailed him using found puzzles to create free standing and wall sculptures. As one does, he pulls out his phone and gives me a preview of his work. I was instantly blown away, these were not simple sculptures made of puzzle pieces, they were as if captured a living form, one that is constantly moving in the smallest way. He had contemporary works that consisted of solid colors, but it was his more colorful pieces that really drew my eye. His large works were exploding with color, energy, flowers, butterflies, along with bits of Americana such as the Statue of Liberty and Martin Luther King.

After viewing his works online, I knew he was something special and I had to invite him to have a solo exhibition at Gallery AiA. Jeffrey promptly invited me to see his work in person at his studio. Seeing his work in person, it lived up to everything that I had hoped for within the sculptures. Not only did these living works garner my attention, but as did his works in papers, textures, and fabrics in which were formed into not only sculptures, but clothing as well.

Jeffrey Wilcox Paclipan will no doubt ably become a true favorite of the Art Institute of Atlanta’s gallery and all who get the pleasure of seeing his sculptures up close and personal. His show will go from July 11th to the 11th of August, with an opening reception July 16th from 6- 8pm at the Art Institute of Atlanta’s Gallery AiA.

Taylor Bareford | Director, Gallery AiA

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