Illarion is a principal at Rusnak Gallant Ltd., working as a Public Artist and Registered Landscape Architect. His large outdoor sculptures explore the relationship between natural landscapes and urban areas, using the history of a place to give meaning to his artworks. Illarion's hands-on approach to public art and landscape projects involves collaboration with communities, cities, organizations, and individuals. He is involved in all stages of his projects, from planning to installation, and has worked as a consultant, contractor, and team member.
Illarion earned his Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art from the Emily Carr Institute in 1996 and studied stone carving at the Karlsruhe Akademie of Art in Germany. A key moment in his career was participating in a sculpture symposium in Vienna, Austria, which inspired him to combine sculpture with landscape architecture. He began his career as a Public Artist in art school, selling his first large commission to McDonald's Restaurants Canada in 1984. Since then, he has completed over 30 commissions across Canada. His success is based on his ability to develop and communicate ideas clearly, creating art that is both practical and imaginative. Illarion was inducted into the RCA (Royal Canadian Academy) in 2024.
Other Pieces in Victoria include the Granite Avocados in front of the Hotel Grande Pacific and Tap Route on the Yellow building and the Arbutus Tree at Fort and Foul Bay.
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