Born in Ukraine, Anna immigrated to the United States as a young adult after completing her college education in Moscow, Russia. She received her four-year collegiate diploma in fashion design and patternmaking from the Technical School of Light Industry, followed by a three-year advanced program in fashion design at Kosegin Textile Academy. Both of these programs emphasized advanced classical drawing and painting theory and technique.
Anna and her husband, Seraphim Larsen, have been blessed with nine children, all of whom have been homeschooled from the earliest years. Since the time the Larsen family began homeschooling in 1998, the four eldest children have received college degrees while in their teens, and the five youngest children are still being homeschooled.
During the past 25 years, Anna has taught art to children in her home studio and has illustrated seven published children’s books. Her art students have received several state awards, and she herself has received state awards for her professional artwork. Classical drawing has always been one of her favorite subjects, and she enjoys passing along this knowledge to the next generation.
The published children’s books illustrated by Anna Larsen include What is an Icon?, The Adventures of a Little Ringtail, and A Pocketful of Seeds.
As a family project, the Larsens translated several books from the Russian language and helped bring these books to publication for English speakers. Among them are: The Actor and At the Ringing of the Bells: The Paschal Martyrs of Optina. Another family project was the audiobook production of The Adventures of a Little Ringtail.
Presentations by the Larsens
at Previous Saint Kosmas Conferences:
Including Art in Your Child’s Education (Anna Larsen, 2021)
Counting the Blessings: Raising a Large Family in a Post-Christian World (Panel Discussion that included Seraphim & Anna Larsen, 2021)
Keep On Keeping On: Homeschooling Encouragement for the Long Haul (Panel Discussion that included Seraphim & Anna Larsen, 2021)
Making High School at Home a Rich Experience (Panel Discussion that included Anna Larsen, 2021)
Panel Discussion on (1) Supporting Orthodox Education within the Local Community and (2) Breaking Down the “Homeschool Versus Orthodox School” Paradigm to Create Greater Unity within the Local Community (Panel Discussion that included Seraphim Larsen, 2021)
5th HOMESCHOOL ALUMNI PANEL: Interviews with Orthodox Adults Who Were Homeschooled (Panel that included John Larsen, 2021)