Michael Gaillard, born on Nantucket in 1979, is now based in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY where he lives with his wife, Brett, and their two sons, Sam and Max. Educated at Stanford (BA, Visual Art) and Columbia (MFA, Visual Art), Gaillard has become known for his landscape photography while also using that practice as a catalyst for questions about the narratives we construct, the images we produce, and the marks we leave behind. Engaging with the landscape as both subject and metaphor, Gaillard employs the technical precision of his technique to isolate and represent symbols rich with contradictions, bending the space between the real and the represented, the screen and the projection—emphasizing the tension between human influence and nature’s resilience.
Gaillard joined the Artists Association of Nantucket in 2003, and has since participated however he can, despite being away from his native home much of the year. With annual contributions to the Gala and service on the board of trustees for a term, Gaillard has deep respect for all that the AAN provides for the community, its artists, and those who appreciate the arts.
Gaillard’s sustained presence in the landscape reflects his broader artistic inquiry, where perception deepens through a meditative and almost trance-like focus. Subtle details—often overlooked yet rich with symbolic weight—become points of resonance within the frame.
Gaillard’s beloved imagery has found its way into thousands of homes around the world. With their tremendous scale and unparalleled precision, he manages to capture the essence of the landscapes beyond mere depictions of iconic characteristics and details. Gaillard’s unique and personal perspective on Nantucket and other cherished destinations has inspired an extensive and devoted collector base for his subtle, quiet, and deeply evocative imagery. While painterly in their essence, the meticulous care with which he approaches his photography is important to appreciating Gaillard’s work. Gaillard’s extraordinary technical precision allows him to reproduce his images at tremendous scale without compromising clarity. This clarity paired with Gaillard’s unique vision makes his work seem to reproduce the ineffable yet essential qualities of being in a place, without depending on iconic elements of that place to locate it. They become singular abstractions of a beloved place that allow for his audience to have an intimate, personal connection to his images.