Larissa was born in Belogorsk, a small town in Russia, and later moved to the Russian Far East, where she spent her early childhood. Her family moved to Moldova and finally settled in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. At 19, Larissa went off on her own to study art in St Petersburg (Leningrad). ​At 14, Larissa enrolled in Dushanbe Art College to study painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, perspective, geometry, and literature, from which she graduated. Later, she continued her education in St Petersburg, where she received a Master’s Degree in architectural, decorative, and monumental sculpture. Her first commissioned sculptures were carved from oak and based on Russian folklore and fairy tales. They were installed in Parks near Moscow, Moldova, and Kazakhstan. It is unlikely that these sculptures have survived harsh climatic conditions. The themes and styles of her early work were chosen to escape the Soviet realism that dominated the era. Her craving for artistic freedom would later lead her to leave Russia for Australia. Larissa’s sculptures can be seen not only in Australia’s public spaces but worldwide. Larissa’s website