Valentino probably inherited his passion for beauty and art from his family. His grandfather and creative uncles had a gift for fine craftmanship.
From the beginning Valentino engaged with a diverse range of materials whilst studying at the Collegio dei Salesiani. Once he reached high school with it came the need for his own workplace. And hence in the 70’s he joined ‘Studio 4’ in Via Marconi in Conegliano.
There the connection with the other artists enriched and inspired him. In 1972 he received an award at the Galleria ‘Le Cave’ in Treviso which fueled his inner fire and provided him with certainty. In 1974, after high school, during a trip to Paris, he discovered the Lettrist Movement, got to see the early hyperreal work and had the chance to meet several artists. The meeting which will fascinate and make him reflect the most is the one with Salvador Dalì in Port Lligat.
In 1976 in Venice he approached engraving, soon becoming his great love and one which continued to grow and develop over the years. In the same year he met and befriended Stepan Zavrel, an artist and illustrator who lived in Rugolo, and who inspired him to illustrate children’s books. This led to Valentino participating at several book fairs. In Bologna he took part at the children’s book illustrators’ exhibition. And at the book fair in Frankfurt he met with print makers who marked his subsequent choices.
From 1987 till 2018 he taught Applied & Graphic Arts at the Istituto d’Arte, and the disciplines Graphics & Painting when the school became, Liceo Artistico ‘Bruno Munari’.