Markian Olynyk was born in Toronto in 1953 and at the age of 12 moved with his family to Victoria, BC. For a number of years after high school, Markian spent his summers working in logging camps throughout British Columbia to support his winters skiing the mountains near Banff. In 1977 he dropped in on a friend who was building a Tiffany lamp. His life changed - his journey of glass exploration had begun.

Considering himself a native of the West Coast, Markian has a history of creating works that appear in commercial buildings, private residences and public spaces. Clients have included international airports, hospitals, corporate headquarters, luxury hotels and restaurants worldwide. He is a self taught artist employing a wide variety of leading edge techniques, many of which have been developed in his studio. He focuses on both commissioned site-specific work as well as screens and sculptures for galleries. Exploring the versatile properties of glass, his elaborately worked pieces are a balance between simple geometric structure and the elemental beauties of nature.

Markian lives in Vancouver, with business partner Susan Robertson and their four children.