Meeting artist Stacey Adcock, it is easy to be captivated by her fairy-like qualities: a slight frame, a whispery voice, a faintly crooked smile and piercing eyes. Think of Stevie Nicks in a Razor with a paintbrush or mosaic tiles in her hand and you get the picture.
Stacey was in that Razor with her youngest child when her art found local inspiration. In the shadow of the majestic mountains that surround our beautiful valley, she felt the wonder of her new locale.
With stops in Steamboat Springs, Durango and Breckenridge, Colo., and Salt Lake City, this self-proclaimed “mountain girl” has adjusted well to the Wasatch back. “I’ve found my home,” she replies when asked how she’s adjusted to Midway living.
Making Art in Midway
Stacey’s front porch doubles as her work space, shielded from the road by a large piece of orange fabric and a big, leafy tree. As planned, the porch serves as Stacey’s workshop until it turns chilly and the space is repurposed as the family’s woodpile. It’s on this porch where Stacey paints picture frames with beautiful nature themes — frames that have been for sale in Dolly’s Bookstore in Park City for the past two years.
It is a scrap glass snowboard and pair of skis, however, that draw the eye to a most unusual form of original artwork. It was a brainstorming session with another mountain girl that led to the birth of the idea for
glass mosaic ski equipment designs, where each piece of glass is hand cut.
“I’ve always been attracted to glass,” she explains.
A snowboard hangs in the hall of her home, imagined in a deep sea of blues that carry the viewer far from the slopes to the sea and sky. A pair of custom mosaic skis hangs in Midway Mercantile, one of the area’s newest restaurants.
While her snow-related artwork is not anything she promotes, customers are curious and delighted with Stacey’s talent. Word of mouth has resulted in commissioned work.
“Stacey’s mosaic skis are a beautiful and interesting nod to our alpine ski culture,” Midway Mercantile Co-owner Sandra Perala-Platt is quick to say. “I love the whimsy of them.”
Keeping It Low-Key
Stacey has maintained a low-key presence in the immediate area, joining the Midway Arts Association, anchoring her to the local arts community.
Since moving to the area, Stacey has been asked to display her work at both the Kimball Art Center (KAC) in Park City as a visiting artist and at the Sundance Mountain Resort. In addition, she has worked at the KAC as a guest instructor, teaching custom glass mosaics to a wide variety of ages. Participating in the Park City Art Stroll is also on her upcoming agenda.
“Good things happen to good people,” is a strong belief of Stacey’s. If that is so, then good skis and snowboards happen to Stacey as well. She regularly scours Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore and other recycling areas for well-loved skis and boards.
As Stacey repurposes old winter equipment, turning discarded objects into beautiful works of art, it’s easy to see how perfectly she — and her work — fit into the community. Sandra sums it up nicely saying, “I am delighted to have a Stacey Adcock mosaic at Midway Mercantile. It feels exactly right.”
The Next Chapter
What’s next for Stacey? Her children’s school, Soldier Hollow, takes center stage. In 2017, Stacey organized an art night fundraiser for the school, complete with a silent auction.
She is “super excited” about the possibility of another fundraiser this year and wants the children to participate by creating nature-themed mosaic glass take-home pieces. A former elementary teacher for more than 15 years, Stacey’s passion for art and education has made the fundraiser a personal project. As much as she loves creating art, she is proud to say her family is her number one priority. Living in Midway with her husband, Kirk, and their two children, Riley who is 12 and younger brother Jordi, 6, she has found that the outdoor activities offered by the area provide her with an “at home” feeling.
“It was meant to be,” Stacey Adcock admits. “I’m happy where I’m at. Midway has opened its arms to me.” As you head to the mountains this winter to recreate, keep your eyes open. If you’re lucky, you just might encounter an artistic sprite wandering the woods in search of inspiration.
