About the photographer

Michel F. Sarda was born and raised in Paris, France, before moving to the United States and settling in Phoenix in 1984. After a 20-year successful career as an architect, he became an author and art book publisher. With a degree in Professional Photography from the New York Institute, Sarda first released four large “coffee-table” books on Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe and Greater Phoenix (the “Valley of the Sun” series), widely used by public agencies and major businesses. He then engaged in writing and publishing richly-illustrated monographs on the late California artist Marion Pike (whose work was recently exhibited at the West Valley Art Museum) and celebrated Arizona sculptor John Waddell, creator of the 12-figure “Dance” group in front of the Herberger Theater.

After his writing extended to screenplays, Sarda focused his photography on dancers for the purpose of a “storyboard”. Several exhibitions later, including at the West Valley Art Museum and New School for the Arts, he welcomes dancers in his studio, and has become the photographer of choice of several dance companies.  

     In 1997, Sarda initiated the Arizona Millennium Trilogy, a series of three books of portraits featuring artists, philanthropists and community leaders. The third and last book of the Trilogy, Voices of Arizona, was released in early 2005.

     His books are available at www.bridgewoodpress.com and at www.artrenaissance.org