Salomea Synthesis is the experimental and personal work of Laura Ulanova, a northerner from the coast of the Baltic Sea who is currently based in New Mexico. Her work is rooted in the traditional Latvian culture, which values simplicity and an awareness of our relationship with the earth - its processes and cosmic schemes. Her nomadic lifestyle and minimalistic personality add layers to her distinctive aesthetic. Ulanova uses natural and raw materials to create one-of-a-kind functional art objects. Her work unveils the intrinsic beauty in all things and embodies the serenity of essential form.

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By the time I knew Salomea, my great-grandmother, she was an older woman who had lived through many wars and regimes, and yet, never lost her faith and laughter. She ran a largely self-sufficient household with animals and gardens. I was sent there as a young kid for months at a time to help with the chores. Her husband, my one legged great-grandfather was stationed there, right on the train tracks where he worked on railway matters; filling steam engines with water and coal. Salomea 

embodied strength and unshakable spirit. Her hard work and trust in the higher power taught me resilience at an early age. I admired her and wanted for my soul work to carry her name; to honor a woman who's spirit was beautiful and true.

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