Ilyayev’s work is characterized by the elevated texture he creates by applying oil paints with a palette knife.
In 1999, Ilyayev participated in his first major exhibitions, first at the Art and Sculpture Union in Tel Aviv and then at the Safari Gallery in Jerusalem. Exhibits soon followed throughout Israel and abroad, as well as shows in the United States.
Drawing heavily on autumnal colors and the changing of the leaves, Ilyayev often portrays a theme of rainbow-colored, tree-lined streets, reminiscent of Central Park in November. His foregrounds, especially streams and ponds, frequently mimic the strokes of the leaves below as the spectrum of colors leap off the canvas.