LARISSA GRAY

Sculpture

Larissa Gray grew up in a semi-rural area of Sydney, NSW surrounded by bushland and from an early age all Larissa ever wanted to do was to make art. 

Larissa was accepted into the competitive National Art School in Sydney at age 16. She majored in Sculpture and Photography, graduating in 1996 at age 20. Upon entering the wide world, she found her art degree and lack of life experience a formidable opponent in her struggle for survival, so she went off to find a job and herself. Not much art happened after that for quite some time as she became a tumble weed travelling overseas and around Australia and eventually embarking on a career with animals, her second love.

Larissa’s career with animals had her vet nursing, training, and working dogs for both state and federal governments in NSW, WA and VIC and eventually working in animal welfare. In 2012 this work eventually led her to Melbourne, Victoria and in 2016 she settled down in the regional town of Kyneton where she now lives with her partner and two dogs. A tumble weed no longer and with very many things to say and express Larissa’s art slowly come back into her life and daily practice. 

Larissa specialises in small scale bronze and mixed media sculptures, producing works that reflect the beauty and soul of nature and the environment around her. During her childhood surrounded by bushland, Larissa formed a deep affinity for the Australian bush and all the elements - colours, textures, scents, sounds - strongly influence her work. Her love of animals is also an ever-present feature in her work.

Larissa’s work has been described as quietly thought provoking. Themes throughout her work often explore the idea of a personal journey through the complexities of human nature and our relationship to the natural world. Through her imaginings Larissa hopes to evoke a wanderlust in the viewer, allowing them to travel through their dreams and memories, into a quiet place within they all too often forget to visit. 

In 2019 Larissa won a grant with the Macedon Ranges Shire council to produce 3 sculptures as part of a cultural exchange program with sister city of Tokai, Japan. These 3 works are now on permanent display in the Tokai Cultural Arts Centre.