Mari Larsen

If you went to the BSM art show that was recently held in the school library, chances are that you noticed some art created by senior Mari Larsen. Mari’s art certainly holds center stage when it comes to her contributions to the BSM community, but there’s much more to this creative Dane than just her art.

Mari began her artistic career at a very young age. “I was raised in a house that drew a lot so when I was bored my parents would just give me paper and markers,” Mari said. While growing up in an art-friendly household, her love for art increased tremendously in grade school. “I started seriously doing art in the fifth grade,” Mari said.

“Art” is a bit of a broad statement; to be specific, Mari works with pencils for drawing, paints with watercolors, and is skilled in digital art on PhotoShop and tablets. During her time at BSM, Mari has completed five different art courses and was an AP art student this year. “For my AP class my concentration is drawing people. I like drawing people. I haven’t mastered the human body, but I try,” Mari said.

Mari’s strong Danish heritage also plays a big role in her life. Not only does much of Mari’s extended family reside in Nørager, Denmark, Mari’s father was 100 percent Danish. Throughout her life, Mari has worked to maintain her connection to Denmark and has immersed herself in Danish culture in more than one way. “We spoke it a lot when I was a baby. Then we stopped, and about two or three years ago I decided to pick it up again.” At the moment, Mari is in the intermediate level for Danish at a Concordia camp she attends for two weeks every summer. Additionally, Mari has visited her family in Denmark twice over the course of high school.

While Mari may be adept at artistically rendering anything she sees, she’s not as graceful in some other ways. “Once I sat on a chocolate chip cookie at lunch so it looked like I pooped myself for the rest of the day,” Mari said. Fortunately, this wardrobe crisis did not happen on the day she met Josh Hutcherson her freshman year––part of a prize for one of the various art competitions she’s won.

When asked about her favorite moment at BSM, Mari responded, “Environmental Science every day,” which makes sense when considering her passion for saving the bees, her volunteering at Fruits of the City, picking apples to deliver to food shelves, and her adventures river rafting in the Grand Canyon.

Next year Mari plans on attending Minneapolis College of Art and Design, where she’ll continue her career as an artist. “I’m going to MCAD. So, I’m studying art––going to art college. I’m probably go- ing to focus on illustration or graphic de- sign.” Mari said.