Larkin, born Anna Elisabet Jonsdotter, began carving when she was seven years old, and at ten sold a carving of a horse to a sea captain for $10, a transaction which inspired her to pursue her passion for art.
She became well known in Sweden, eventually selling a pair of model horses to King Oscar II.
[2] Later she married John Larkin, and the couple moved to McPherson, Kansas, where she resided until her death.
[1] A large collection of Larkin's work belongs to the McPherson Museum;[3] the Grassroots Art Center in Lucas contains examples of her sculpture as well.
After cutting the rough shape, the next day she would use a paring knife to develop the details of the work, finishing by rubbing it with a piece of glass and two grades of sandpaper.