“I make art to show my soul I am still listening…”
And You And I Reach Towards The Stars stands as a testament to the profound dialogue between artist and universe — a work that transcends mere visual delight and enters the realm of spiritual communion. In this piece, Michael John Valentine invites us to witness not just form and color, but the living pulse of intent, curiosity, and reverence for the ineffable. This is not art for passive observation — it is art for active engagement, a mirror for the soul and a beacon for aspiration.
At its heart, And You And I Reach Towards The Stars embodies a luminous conversation between the earthly and the celestial, the tangible and the imagined. With a title that itself feels like a fragment of a love letter to infinity, Valentine collapses distance between human longing and cosmic mystery. The artwork resonates with the idea that art is more than pigment on surface — it is the echo of wonder. With every brushstroke and layered acrylic, the piece reaches upward in visual cadences that feel both instinctual and inevitable.
A Journey of Craftsmanship
Michael John Valentine’s practice is rooted in a lifetime of artistic exploration spanning more than five decades. Educated with a Fine Arts degree from Kent State University and refined through rigorous hands-on creation, Valentine does not rely upon artificial shortcuts such as AI — instead, he builds his works from original photography, layered mixed media, and meticulously applied acrylics and glazing. This devotion to material integrity ensures each artwork — whether a limited-edition print or an overpainted signed canvas — bears the nuanced touch of human craftsmanship.
In And You And I Reach Towards The Stars, this mastery is visible in the orchestrated interplay of texture and light. The surface pulsates with kinetic energy: underlayers of pastel or acrylic merge into a vibratory field where glimpses of photographic origin and expressive abstraction coexist in harmony. It is as though each layer holds its own history, a sedimented trace of the artist’s lived experience and visual memory.
Visual Poetry and Emotional Resonance
The imagery at play — its forms reaching, ascending, yearning — evokes both personal and universal narratives. “Stars” here are not just celestial bodies, but symbols of possibility, inspiration, and transcendence. The viewer is invited to meditate on the spaces between form and void, the threshold where the known world yields to mystery. This dynamic tension is the heartbeat of the piece — a rhythm that whispers of ascent, not as an escape from the world, but as a deeper engagement with it.
Valentine’s palette in this work is a masterclass in nuance. Soft luminosities and deep tonal contrasts dance across the surface, suggesting the tension between light and darkness — an eternal theme in the human psyche. Where rich, saturated pigments might anchor the piece to earthly weight, delicate pastels and ethereal hues seem to dissolve the boundary, inviting the viewer’s gaze to drift into vast conceptual space. This luminous equilibrium is both soothing and invigorating — like gazing into a dawn sky where night’s mysteries mingle with the promise of day.
Yet And You And I Reach Towards The Stars is not merely a quiet meditation. Embedded within its abstraction is a pulse of rhythm — a visual cadence that suggests movement and aspiration. Here, the viewer senses an upward lift, a reaching against gravity, a desire to commune with something greater than oneself. It is as if the artwork itself is a prayer rendered in paint and light — a profound gesture of hope, acknowledgment, and connectivity.
The Collector’s Investment: Beyond Aesthetic
For the seasoned collector, this piece represents more than decorative allure — it is an investment in narrative depth, provenance, and emotional longevity. Each option, from the 4-inch round peel-and-stick decal to the monumental 38″×56″ overpainted signed canvas, comes directly from Valentine’s studio practice, hand-signed, and crafted with archival care. This guaranteed authenticity positions the work not just as an object of beauty, but as a meaningful asset within a curated collection.
What sets Valentine’s work apart in the contemporary landscape is his insistence that art must remain rooted in human intention. By building his compositions from original photography and tactile mixed media, he bridges the narrative of lived experience with abstract conceptualization. And You And I Reach Towards The Stars thus becomes a convergence zone — at once personal and cosmic, representational and expressive.
A Dialogue With the Viewer
This piece does not simply hang upon the wall — it converses with the space it inhabits. It draws the eye along its rises and recessions, urging contemplation and emotional resonance. Whether placed in a contemporary gallery wall, a private study, or a curated corporate space, And You And I Reach Towards The Stars becomes an anchor for reflection — a constant reminder of aspiration and presence.
Indeed, this artwork’s true mastery lies not only in its visual architecture but in its ability to evoke interior states. Viewers may find themselves breathing more deeply, pausing longer, or returning to the piece again and again — discovering new subtleties with each encounter. It is this layered experience that defines the work’s enduring power.
Context in Valentine’s Body of Work
While Valentine’s oeuvre spans abstract explorations, figurative pieces, cityscapes, landscapes, and thematic collections — including works celebrating the earth’s elemental textures and colors — And You And I Reach Towards The Stars occupies a singular conceptual altitude. Like the Earth Series that explores terrestrial resonance, this work extends that inquiry skyward. Here, the Earth’s grounding gives way to aspiration, connecting terrestrial impulse with cosmic longing.
Collectors familiar with other series such as Surviving On This Earth or Rare Earth will recognize Valentine’s profound sensitivity to texture and light, but few pieces of his carry the metaphorical reach and existential nuance found in And You And I Reach Towards The Stars. This piece stands as a bridge between land and sky, interior and infinite — a true articulation of aspiration rendered in pigment.
Final Reflection: An Invitation to Wonder
Ultimately, And You And I Reach Towards The Stars is a meditation on connectivity — between the artist and the viewer, between the inner life and outer world, and between the finite and the infinite. It asks us to consider not what we see, but how we feel; not just what we know, but what we yearn to understand. It whispers that art is a conversation, not a proclamation — an invitation to listen, reach, and become part of something larger than ourselves.
In this work, Michael John Valentine not only shows us his hand, but unveils his heart — beckoning us to join in the timeless human pursuit of wonder.
The Exhibition Canvas comes in 3 sizes and goes through several steps that include overpainting with acrylics, signing with acrylics on the front and a final glazing to protect the canvas before being rolled in a sealed tube then a box ( shipping is free in the USA )
The Matted Prints come in 3 sizes and are shipped in a box. ( shipping and handling is free in the US)
The Glossy Poster Print measures 16 x 24 and arrives in a sealed tube that is placed in a box. ( shipping is free in the US )
The 4 Inch Round Peel And Stick Decal is perfect for many applications beyond cars and comes in a sealed envelope ( shipped for free )
