Today we’d like to introduce you to Larissa McPherson.
Hi Larissa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My road to metalsmithing and the arts started without me really knowing. I graduated with a degree in psychology, fully intent on being a counselor. Although, even then I was always drawn to art. I minored in studio art and when it became apparent that psychology was not a field I would thrive in long-term, I turned to art not even thinking at first it would turn into my desired long-term career. Art has always been an outlet for me and for my family. My father is a disabled veteran who used wood carving to cope with his pain. His work inspired my love for art. I took only a semester or two of art in high school, but then in university, I started exploring all forms of art. Even if, at the time, I did not believe I could have a career in the arts, I still knew it was important to me and I wanted to find a way to make that a part of my life. The medium I first fell in love with was watercolor.
Throughout undergrad, I painted as much as I could and was convinced it would always be my favorite. Then in the summer before I graduated and in the middle of the pandemic, I decided to take an extra course in small metals and jewelry that was being taught online by one of my favorite professors, Casey McGuire. I loved working with metal and making a form of art one could wear and carry around all day. From there, I continued to make simple small pieces for over a year until early 2022 when I reached out to my metals professor and started driving over to Carrolton on my off days to learn and work in the studio with her. I attribute much of my beginnings and how I got there to where I am to her support and mentoring. From there, I joined the Metal Arts Guild of Georgia and started taking more classes and workshops. Between then and now things have continued to grow and progress faster than I thought they ever would. I am a resident artist at Arts Beacon in ATL where I teach a beginning metalworking class. Additionally, I work as a freelance artist assistant helping various artists with their work (including welders, electrical artists (Eddie Farr – who has been so helpful in getting me connected with so many artists), jewelry makers, and on occasion a bookmaker and a woodworker). I currently sell my work at various artist markets and festivals, and I am part of different art exhibits where I show some of my sculptural works. And now, I am prepping to start my first semester at UGA in their Masters of Fine Art Program this upcoming fall.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it has been the smoothest road getting to where I am. There have been many obstacles such as market days where I barely made a sale (if any sales), experimental jewelry that didn’t work, failing the same technique over and over, not being able to afford the next class or workshop I wanted to take, or even my tent trying to fly away during a storm and leaking water onto my work. There have also been so many days of failure and feeling like I would never compare to others in the field. I still feel like this often – but I have cultivated an amazing support system in the arts and in my family and friends. They have often reminded me of how far I have come, my potential, and how much I can reach my goals. Relying on my community was so important for overcoming the many obstacles and challenges that come with a non-traditional career and finding my voice within the arts. I am so grateful and can never stress enough the importance of having a solid community where you can help each other and go through life together.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My work consists of metal jewelry and small-metal sculpture, although I dabble in ceramics, bookmaking, painting, and tufting. I’ve been selling as an official business (Metals by Larissa, LLC) over the last year at art markets and festivals. Much of my jewelry work is made to look very organic and I take inspiration for my artwork (jewelry and sculpture) from nature and the organic/imperfect. I love to incorporate found objects and nature into my process and the finished piece. I’ve used things like snake sheds, dead butterflies, and dried flowers to texture metals. Additionally, I have taken molds of corals, barnacles, and even a hornet’s nest to make wax molds for casting. Another big part of my work is patina which is using different processes and methods to create color on metal. I love experimenting with the types of colors I can create and bringing a more organic texture or color to my pieces.
In my jewelry and art, I am interested in the ideas of preservation of textures and organic materials and honoring nature in the creative process. One of my greatest influences is how deeply I care for natural environments. This grew from my childhood living in North Georgia, running around the woods and spending most of my time outside catching lizards and exploring (or digging a pond in the front yard). Through my work, I have been revisiting textures, colors, pieces, and memories of time spent outdoors. I chose metalsmithing and jewelry making because it is a very intimate form of art that allows you to carry it around and directly interact with the piece.
One of the pieces I am most proud of is a recent snake sculpture I made for an exhibition at South River Arts Studios. I spent some time in North Carolina at Penland School of Craft doing a live/work exchange and used that time to explore other media and also new ways to work with metal. I made books and crocheted wire vessels and learned to chain-mail and scale-mail. I used the scale-mail process to create a copper snake which I patinaed and submitted. I am excited to continue using this technique on future projects including a sculpture I am working on now for Blue Heron Nature Preserve.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
I would say what matters most to me is my friends, my family, and my faith. At the end of the day, if I fail in my career or if I am successful in it all, my friends and family will always be there to support me and make me laugh, and show me the light. And they are all amazing to support in what they do as well. My faith is also very much a guide for my motivations and why I believe so much in the importance of community, loving others, and caring for the earth and every creature in it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://larissamcpherson.godaddysites.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metalsbylarissa/
Image Credits
Headshot photo: Cade Gass @cade.gass.studios
