Engineer Carves 40 Years of Pumpkins

Halloween traditions often center on simple jack-o'-lanterns, but one California resident has spent four decades refining a more complex approach to the holiday.

Mike Valladao, a systems engineer for a cybersecurity firm, marks 40 years of pumpkin artistry at the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival this month. Known as Farmer Mike and the Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers, he has carved hundreds of gourds into figures including dragons, witches, and characters like Yoda and Charlie Brown.

Valladao began growing large pumpkins in his San Jose home in the mid-1980s. When he could not decide what to do with the massive produce, he started cutting faces into them. He approached the task with an engineering mindset, building each piece layer by layer similar to constructing hardware. In 1986, festival organizers saw a photo of his work and invited him to showcase his skills in Half Moon Bay, a town where his family opened the first feed and seed store in the 19th century.

For his recent milestone event, Valladao used Atlantic pumpkins weighing between 100 and 1,000 pounds. He relies on the thick skin of these vegetables to create the illusion of depth, carving features shallowly or deeply to make eyes appear inset and noses protrude. He previously grew an 800-pound pumpkin but does not participate in the festival's giant pumpkin weigh-off due to the labor required.

His work has taken him to venues such as the San Diego Zoo, the California Academy of Sciences, and the State Fair of Texas, as well as an appearance on The Tonight Show. Valladao does not name his creations because they last only a few days. He finds the aging process of the pumpkin adds character rather than diminishing the piece.

Valladao continues to work on stage during the two-day event, allowing attendees to observe his process. He draws inspiration from museum visits and street observations, noting specific details like teeth or nostrils that catch his eye. With no plans to stop, he describes the carving as a personal and enjoyable part of his identity.