No Paint, No Stain: Caniac Creates Art With Unique Flair

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Carolina Hurricanes' annual "Canes Gala" offers fans a one-of-a-kind night at Lenovo Center, from unique interactions with players to opportunities to bid on exclusive experiences and Canes memorabilia, with all proceeds benefiting the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation.

This year, that memorabilia was headlined by the work of Adam Bailey, a local woodworker and artist who combined the two disciplines to produce remarkable wooden portraits of Seth Jarvis and Brandon Bussi for the occasion.

A longtime Canes fan, Bailey was initially connected with the Foundation to create a Rod Brind'Amour piece for the team's 20th Anniversary Championship Celebration in December. When Gala planning began thereafter, he was a natural choice to be featured.

"Once we saw his incredible wood art in person, we immediately knew it was something special. The craftsmanship, detail, and uniqueness of the medium stood out right away," said Amy Daniels, Executive Director of the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation. "It became clear that incorporating a custom piece into our auction would be a meaningful and exciting way to elevate the event."

What distinguishes Bailey's work is his "No Paint, No Stain" technique. More than just his Instagram handle, it's how his work is defined. Working exclusively with wood, each of Adam's projects is carefully crafted from several different types of wood, utilizing the natural color of each grain to match an image of an object or, in this case, a hockey player.

From the red of Jarvis' helmet to the black squares centering the warning flags on Bussi's mask, it all comes naturally.

Bailey began woodworking at a young age, crediting "being around people who like to make things" for fueling his creative spirit. But it's been his own experience as a parent that's steered him toward more artistic pursuits within woodworking, allowing him to share a hobby with his young son.

"(My son and I) started doing this in a way for people to see because he started doing artwork. I thought it would be cool that, if he was doing art and I was doing art, it was something we could do together," he said.

That was nearly four years ago. Since then, Bailey has explored the overlap between woodworking and art, creating intricate designs simply by using different cuts and types of wood, a process that usually takes between 50-80 hours.

"I wanted to see if I could make a piece of art look like something realistic, and then from there, just kept creating new things and trying to see if I could do different things, like making people look like people," he said. "Once I figured that out, that's when I really got locked into this art mode."

That timeline mirrors his blossoming Hurricanes fandom. Another shared interest between Bailey and his son became another source of inspiration for their art journey, which led to more designs like the pieces featured in this year's Gala.

"His ability to represent our players in this medium is nothing short of remarkable," said Daniels of Bailey. "Beyond his talent, he’s a genuine fan of our team and deeply committed to giving back to the community, which aligns perfectly with the mission of the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation."

After sculpting the Brind'Amour portrait in December, Bailey was eager to jump back in with new ideas for a few Canes-focused designs when the team came calling again. Jarvis' selection was inspired by a standout showing from No. 24 with Bailey in attendance, while Bussi's was sparked by the netminder's stellar story this season, as well as the challenge of molding the finer parts of a goaltender's mask.

But another piece featuring Jalen Chatfield — set to be auctioned off in-game on Saturday, Feb. 28 — was a more personal touch, an homage to one of Bailey's favorite players whose impact extends beyond the ice rink.

"The idea around Black History Month, I thought of Jalen Chatfield doing the bow-and-arrow," explained Bailey. "I wanted to represent him specifically because he's a player that everybody loves. I obviously love him because having someone who looks like you play hockey and who you root for means something, and that's kind of the spirit of Black History Month."

Bailey's work garnered close to $5,000 for the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation during this year's Gala, providing funds that will fuel charitable efforts around North Carolina.

"The Canes Gala is the Foundation’s biggest night of the year for fundraising. It brings together an incredible collection of supporters— fans, corporate sponsors, community partners, and players — all united around one purpose: making a positive impact in our community," said Daniels.

"The funds raised help ensure we can continue awarding grants and supporting meaningful initiatives throughout the community, so having fans [like Bailey] contribute in such a unique and personal way makes the night even more impactful."

The feeling is mutual, with Bailey relishing the "pretty cool" opportunity to be part of the event. And with any luck, this won't be the last time Bailey centers his work around the Hurricanes — he's just waiting for the right moment.

"I want to do Jordan Staal, but I want to wait until he's hoisting the Cup," he said. "So I'm hoping this year's the year, and I'll wait to do a Jordan Staal piece, a Martinook piece, guys that I really love... I want to do those when they're hoisting the Stanley Cup."