Mario Armitano

Mario Armitano was born in the south of France. He attended cooking school in Toulon before moving to Montreal in 1976.
Three years later he moved to Vancouver with his wife Louise. They opened a French butcher shop at the Granville Island Public Market; then a French bakery, called La Baguette et L'echalote, and a restaurant.
After the arrival of their two sons, the couple scaled down their businesses to focus on family.
Mario, recognizing the benefits of change, took the opportunity to explore his lifelong passion and enrolled in a stone sculpture course with Alberto Riplansky at the Vancouver Academy of Arts.
A successful student, Mario then took a clay course with DeL'esprie, and an anatomy course with David Klass, at the Loveland Academy of Arts in Colorado.
Encouraged by his instructors, Mario traveled to Italy to paticipate in a marble sculpture workshop in Pietrasanta.

Mario will always pursue growth and exploration of his art.
Recently he participated in a clay workshop with Rodin Prize winner, Martine Vaugel

"I remember George Lundeen, at the Loveland Sculpture Academy, looking at my clay figure and saying,
"We're going to have to cut some hands around here."


At first I wasn't sure of his meaning, but as I started to know George, I realized he was happy to see the level of quality of the work from the class, but sad that he would have more competition! What a wonderful compliment!
When I'm working, it's like someone else takes over my body. I am in that zone where everything and anything is possible. There is no law, no restraint, everything is wide open. Time slips by so fast. I need to set an alarm so I don't miss my kids returning from school.
In life I don't communicate very well, unless you consider my sculpture. Sculpture is my medium of communication with emotion as the most important ingredient. Emotion gives me creative juice and provides the message inherent in each piece.
My inspiration comes from my environment; the people I encounter, the people I care for and the life situations I am lucky enough to observe or participate in.
One day my oldest son, Nico, had a leg of chicken on his plate and said "Dad, why do we have to eat chicken, hamburgers or pork chops? Could we just eat more pasta?" That gave me the idea to do a sculpture called "C'mon Eat More Pasta!!" with the head of a chicken, a lamb, a pig and a cow, like the four dead President's heads on Mount Rushmore!
Being able to create a three-dimensional image reflecting life's moments is the most satisfying part of the creative process.
When my seven year old son won the silver medal for violin last year at the Conservatory Of Music, achieving the highest grade in British Columbia, I was so taken by his achievement that I had the idea to do the sculpture, "I Want To Play Music."
He is not only an inspiration to other kids, he is an inspiration to me and proof of what is possible with focus and dedication.