The son of a career soldier, Michael D. Vallair lived the majority of his forming years abroad. From Asia to Europe, and later the Caribbean, all of these locales were pivotal in the development of his palate. Upon returning Stateside, Michael chose North Carolina State University to Study Visual and Product Design.
Michael later enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. During his 6 year stint in the Corps, Michael was assigned to units that sailed the Mediterranean Sea, and as far as the Persian Gulf. These deployments exposed Michael to some of the oldest Art the world has to offer. From Roman and Greek ruins, to the Great Pyramids of Egypt, these influences were constant themes in his earlier work.
Michael's early influences, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Carravaggio, and Dali, have always driven his earlier work. (See Archives). This is mostly evident in Michael's epic piece 'The Rise And Fall of the American Empire'. After the Corps, Michael chose Cincinnati Ohio as his home. Here is where he developed his own style of work known locally as Sculptural Surrealism. In 2007 Michael joined the Staff of The Rookwood Pottery Company. He worked as a Designer And Sculptor before heading to the Art rich community of Asheville North Carolina in 2011. With the Smokies as a backdrop, Sculptural Surrealism has evolved into the Art Form that is appreciated today.
