Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Traci O’Very Covey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Traci thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Getting commissioned to paint two monumental murals in the Mid-Concourse Tunnel of the new Salt Lake City International Airport is my most meaningful project to date. The commission criteria was to transform an underground mid-concourse tunnel into a vibrant and immersive experience of the beauty of the four seasons in Utah.

After submitting my portfolio, I was selected as one of four finalists to present a full-color mock-up of the mural design to the airport Design Committee for approval. Since I was designing art for an underground space with no natural light, I chose Summer with its sun-blessed warmth as my subject. I took my inspiration from my travels throughout the regions of Utah, portraying the state’s mountain and desert landscapes in a stylized interpretation, filtered through my imagination in my signature style. My design incorporated flora and fauna, artfully overlapping and interweaving their lines and shapes into the landscape in a lyrical sense of discovery. This imaginative portrayal of the beautiful natural scenery of a Utah Summer won me the commission for the project.

The criteria for this mural project echoed everything I believe about public art: that it is a way to connect and inspire people by infusing everyday spaces with joy and meaning. My canvas would be a section of the 990-foot-long underground tunnel that connects the A and B concourses. My goal was to elevate travelers’ experience from an ordinary walk to a beauty-filled journey by transforming an underground airport tunnel into a vibrant and immersive experience of Summer and Autumn in Utah – it was my dream project.

I designed the two murals in a palette of rich earth tones and hired a team of helpers to bring the vision to life. The two 13 x 154-foot murals were to be painted during the final construction phase of the airport, as the interiors were being finished. My team and I went through safety training and, working alongside construction workers, painted on site each weekday for 6 1/2 weeks to meet the airport’s opening deadline. First, we projected sections of the mural design to get the line work on the wall. Then, we painted the mural in over twenty-one colors with brushes and rollers using high-quality interior acrylic latex.
The art brings the beauty of the great outdoors to the underground space and evokes memories of places the viewer may have experienced, while also appealing to their sense of wonder about new places to explore in Utah.

It was exhilarating to walk through the Mid-Concourse Tunnel past the murals on the way to the ribbon cutting and press conference in celebration of the opening of Terminal B. Seeing the passengers enjoying the large-scale murals on their way to the gate of the first early morning flight was such a pleasure. The finished walkway with these massive works of colorful art painted from one end to the other creates a unique sense of the Utah landscape and brings beauty and joy to people’s travel experiences.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was born and raised in beautiful Salt Lake City, where I live and work today. Art was a constant thread from my childhood through my university studies of drawing, painting and graphic design.

My art is inspired by nature’s flora and fauna and the landscapes of our lives which highlight the “grace and joy of everyday” – things in life that are welcoming and universal. I use many media, especially acrylic, gouache, watercolor, and digital processes. I enjoy using my creativity to convey a specific meaning or theme that engages the viewer in paintings and large-scale public works including murals, metal sculptures, mosaics, and art glass.

In my art you’ll find depictions of landscapes, animals and birds as well as symbolic figures, flowers and gardens, vegetables fresh from the farmer’s market, and whimsical tea cups, all filtered through my imagination. The imagery is representational yet stylized and abstracted offering a sense of discovery.

Design is a very important part of my process after having been a graphic designer for nearly four decades. I am interested in harmony as I design compositions with colorful, simplified shapes divided by curving lines, but united by co-mingling and overlapping elements that impart a lyrical sense of oneness.

Ultimately, I believe that we are all interconnected, that our energies are intertwined, and that what we do affects one another, nature, and our planet.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to benefit people’s everyday lives through my art. My mission is to uplift and inspire people through an aesthetic experience. I’m honored that people enjoy living with my art in their personal spaces and that my paintings have been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums.

I love creating art for public spaces because it offers a sense of place and is free to the viewer. My metal sculpture installations enliven Salt Lake City streets on the intersection of 300 S 300 E and on both sides of North Temple near 700 W. My colorful murals are on the exteriors and interiors of corporate spaces and public buildings including the Eccles Theater, Mountain America Expo Center, Jordan Landing Shopping Center, and the Salt Lake International Airport to name a few.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

There are many rewarding aspects of being an artist but the experience of creation is my number one. Having an idea for a painting or project and following that concept through many sketches and phases to completion is so satisfying. Then it is wonderfully meaningful when I find that my art resonates with someone else—it’s a feeling of deep connection.

Whether it’s an interesting work of visual art, a unique building design, intriguing piece of music, or inspiring creative performance—art enriches life.    

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tracioverycovey.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toverycovey/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TraciOVeryCoveyArt
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traci-o-very-covey/

Image Credits
Airport tunnel murals with travelers by Stuart Ruckman