'Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers' marks 40 years of Halloween artistry

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 26 Oct, 05:31 · Archive

Mike Valladao, known as 'Farmer Mike,' has spent over four decades carving elaborate designs into pumpkins.

Mike Valladao, a systems engineer at a cybersecurity company, has earned the nickname 'Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers' for his elaborate pumpkin carvings. Over more than four decades, he has sculpted hundreds of gourds into ghoulish faces, seaside landscapes, witches, dragons and pop culture figures including Yoda and Charlie Brown. This year he marked 40 years of the tradition at the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, held in mid-October on the California coast south of San Francisco.

Valladao, who wears trademark orange overalls and a farmer hat whilst working, has received carving requests from across the United States. Despite lacking formal artistic training, he draws inspiration from diverse sources, including museum visits and street observations. 'Sometimes I'll look at somebody and I'll think, oh, I like the teeth or I like ears or the way the nostrils flare,' he said.

Valladao stumbled into his artistic hobby in the mid-1980s after growing large pumpkins at his San Jose home. Unsure what to do with the massive gourds, he began carving faces into them. At the Half Moon Bay festival, which is best known for its giant pumpkin weigh-off, Valladao works on stage so people can watch his process.

'Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers' marks 40 years of Halloween artistry — Image: Clickorlando

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'Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers' brings artistry to a Halloween traditionCarving pumpkins is a Halloween tradition.Clickorlando · 26 Oct, 05:03
'Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers' brings artistry to a Halloween traditionCarving pumpkins is a Halloween tradition.News4Jax · 26 Oct, 05:03

In this story: Mike Valladao · Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival · Half Moon Bay · San Jose · San Francisco · California

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