Meet Larisa Martino, who is both a guide for the Gallery Night guided tours, plus a skilled artist in her own right! Our intern Justin had the pleasure of interviewing her.
About Larisa as an artist:
Larisa is a contemporary, figurative, and abstract artist who loves to work on multimedia surfaces, often using materials such as canvas, wood, fabrics, and glass to convey her deep artistic creativity. Larisa’s work is exceptionally diverse, not only in the multimedia surfaces used but also in the size of her artwork, which range from smaller 8x10 pieces suitable for bathrooms to larger 6 foot pieces for living rooms. With her background in fashion design, she is able to create pieces of art that illustrate her mastery of figurative work and the human body.
Getting connected with Gallery Night:
Larisa has been with Gallery Night for many years. She was first introduced to the non-profit by her good friend and former Gallery Night director Alyssa Heller, back when there was only one trolley boarding location. Larisa has been with Gallery Night since then!
What Larisa enjoys most about being a Guide:
Larisa’s favorite part about being a Gallery Night guide is being able to interact with a wide variety of people all united by their love of art, which forms a sense of community. Larisa particularly enjoys asking tourists where they are from, since Gallery Night attracts art lovers from all over the country.
Most memorable Gallery Night experience:
Larisa’s most memorable Gallery Night experience actually takes place during a very memorable but not as enjoyable time - towards the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During this time, Larisa led a walking tour which she was able to pull great joy and inspiration from. Even though everyone was social distancing and wearing their masks, they were still able to interact with one another and the surrounding art scene, taking advantage of the rich culture and history Providence has to offer. Larisa says, “it was a very memorable experience because the appreciation for art and life was evident even in the midst of a pandemic. It was wonderful to experience that resilience.”
Advice for rising artists:
For Larisa, one of the most important things an artist can do is to make their own unique art and create their own art style; in essence, an artist needs to find their own “voice.” Not only does this allow artists to be more recognizable, but it also fosters their own creativity and allows self-expression, which in turn enables them to create better artwork.