94
Patrick Jacobs
Artist in Brooklyn, New York
Jacobs’ art involves the construction of three-dimensional dioramas that are viewed through lenses and embedded in a gallery’s walls. His work has been included in “Otherworldly: Optical Delusions and Small Realities” at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City.
Tell us about your philosophy on art and how you approach your work.
Art doesn’t have to be made with precious materials or using a complicated process. If you can get the viewer to make the leap from something mundane or unexpected to another imaginative reality, it is very exciting.
In 2015, you returned to UWF for a solo exhibition, “Pink Autumn.” What was it like being back on campus?
This was my first time being back on campus for an extended period of time since I was a student. Returning to UWF was a wonderful and strange experience. It was like returning home to visit family after being away for a long time. You’re reminded of who you are and where you come from.
How did your UWF education prepare you for a career as an artist?
The faculty offered divergent views on art. More seasoned professors often championed a formal approach to artistic disciplines and their respective processes, while a younger generation supported an interdisciplinary crossing over between media. I emerged from UWF with a respect for and delight in traditional craftsmanship and simultaneously a need to break the rules in order to say something new.