Sokoluk, Lori

Lori Sokoluk paints the beauty and power that underlie the things we see and experience in everyday life. We walk on this earth and simultaneously exist in the non-physical realms of dreams, fears, history, myths and memory. Lori’s deep attachment to landscape and her affinity for mystery are evident in her highly abstracted paintings and drawings.

Lori has studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and holds a Master of Architecture degree from the Technical University of Nova Scotia (now part of Dalhousie University).

Artist Statement for “Mappae Mundi”

“Mappae Mundi” (from the Latin for ‘chart’ and ‘world’) were medieval drawings whose purpose was to describe the universe we live in. Early mappae mundi were often based in scripture, depicting Heaven, Hell, Eden and Earth. Over time, they started to include geographic elements, but they also incorporated myths and legends, dreams and nightmares – things like personifications of the Four Winds, strange creatures and human tribes that supposedly inhabited far away lands. Unlike modern maps, they speak explicitly and simultaneously to both the physical and non-physical realms.

If there is one thing I hope people take away from viewing my work, it would be to recognize that there is more to our lives that our everyday experience, and that we have a place in a more expansive world that includes mystery, spirit, history, and poetry. Recognizing ourselves in this bigger world is good for our soul because it creates space for joy, wonder, and connection.