Author Archives: Alison

Ketubah As Fine Art: Part II

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Alison in Featured, From the Expert, Jewish Traditions

Today is Part II of a 2-part series by Ketuv, the website behind fine art ketubahs. Yesterday, the ladies of Ketuv discussed the importance of personalizing ketubah art to fit a couple’s style, history, and home. Today, Part II is all about how to commission an artist to create your perfect memento of your marriage.

Whether you go with a Ketuv artist or not, here are some tips on choosing an artist and finding a style.

There is no special formula to finding the right artist. Look around. You don’t have to know about art to have an experience with it. When you like something, listen to yourself. Try to notice what about the work you like. Is it the color? The composition? The content? The medium (that is, what the artwork is actually made out of)?

Collect images of the artwork you and your partner like, and look at all the images together. Is there a pattern emerging? Are you finding that you’re more attracted to abstract work, or something more realistic? Are you finding that you like collage work, or pen and ink? Detailed work, or something simpler and more elegant? Colorful or black and white? Once you find your artist, these images and what you like about them will be invaluable information.

Remember, when you are considering commissioning a specific artist, you should imagine that your ketubah, while made especially with your ideas in mind, will look stylistically somewhat like the other work in the artist’s portfolio. That is, if you ask an abstract artist to draw a realistic portrait of you and your partner, it probably isn’t going to work out. When you like an artist, go with their strengths and you will get the best results.

Text
This can sometimes be the trickiest part about commissioning an artist to make your ketubah. At Ketuv, we feel that “ketubah artists” might not always fit the bill for the kind of artwork you’d like to hang in your home, which is why we created Ketuv in the first place. In our custom process, we take care of the text, and the artist takes care of the artwork.

If you’re going with an artist friend, or any artist that can’t provide the ketubah text, several ketubah companies, including Ketuv, offer text-only ketubot. You should also be aware that while many ketubah companies copyright their texts, Ketuv’s texts are open source and available for use, whether you work with us or not.

Communicate!
Let your artist in on the details of the conversation you had with your partner, and share your little folder of inspiration images, taking him/her through your vision for your ketubah. In one case, a couple even sent me a crude version of what they wanted, which they sketched out themselves in crayon!

Once you and the artist feel secure that you have come to an understanding regarding the content and style of your ketubah, you’ll have to hammer out the nuts and bolts:
1. The price of the artwork
2. How much time the artist will have to complete the artwork
3. How many updates the artist will provide for you before you receive the finished product (i.e. Will s/he have to send sketches? Photos of the work in progress? How many?)

Even if the artist is a friend, it might be best to write this down somewhere, just so everyone is clear.

This may sound like a lot of work, but we believe that you and your partner can figure out the basics of what you’re interested in over the span of a dedicated afternoon. It might also be fun, an opportunity to literally “visualize” your relationship. Don’t forget that your artist will also bring something to the table. You don’t have to have everything figured out in order to start the conversation!

What’s more, you’ll be investing in an heirloom, a symbol of your love that will stay in your family for generations.

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Your love is unique. We think your ketubah should reflect that.

With the plethora of generic printed ketubahs available on the Internet, couples with a discerning eye have a hard time finding something that speaks to them. We formed Ketuv to provide couples with a fine art option in ketubahs, and to create an opportunity for innovative artists, with dynamic careers outside of the commercial and Judaica spheres, to create fresh, quality ketubah art.

Founded by artists Arielle Angel and Maya Joseph-Goteiner, Ketuv is committed to creating new opportunities for artists in the marketplace, with the ultimate goal of allowing artists to pursue their craft sustainably and with integrity.

Ketuv is also committed to honoring the diversity of the Jewish people, as well as people influenced by the Jewish tradition. While providing quality wedding and anniversary ketubahs for Jewish couples of all denominations, we also pride ourselves on offering progressive options in wedding artwork for same-sex, interfaith, non-denominational and non-Jewish couples.

Pingback: The Custom Ketubah | Ketuv

From the Expert: Ketubah As Fine Art: Part I

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Alison in Featured, From the Expert, Inside Scoop, Jewish Traditions

Today is Part I of a 2-part series by Ketuv, the website behind fine art ketubahs. The ladies of Ketuv discuss the importance of personalizing ketubah art to fit a couple’s style, history, and home. Not sure what to think about? No fear! Ketuv offers a lesson in ketubah art 101. Take it away, Ketuv!

You’re engaged. Mazel Tov! So begins the saga of wedding planning. You want to make sure it’s personal, that you and your partner are expressing yourselves in every little detail. And yet, when it’s time to choose a ketubah, you figure you’ll just find something with trees on it and call it a day, right?

Hold up. Long after the flowers wilt, and the bunted garlands come down, long after all the little details of your wedding day are preserved in photographs and sealed in an album on the shelf, your ketubah will still hang on your bedroom wall.

At Ketuv, our motto is that your love is unique, and your ketubah should reflect that. The ketubah is the first piece of artwork you and your partner will purchase together as a couple — the piece of artwork that makes you a couple, by Jewish law — and that’s a very special thing.

So why not go beyond the generic tree landscapes and watercolor Jerusalems and instead commision a real work of art by a contemporary artist?

For most people, the prospect of commissioning a work of art is an intimidating task. Here are a few tips for commissioning an artist to make your ketubah.

What’s Your Ketubah About?
Talk to your partner about what aspects of your relationship you would like your ketubah to highlight.

What do you feel is truly special about your relationship? For some couples, it might be the incredible way you balance one another. For others it might be a set of shared values. Be specific. You may or may not know how these ideas will translate into symbols or visual cues, but either way, don’t be afraid to write them down. These ideas are likely to become touchstones for the artist as they create your artwork.

You may want to think about the stories that are important to you as a couple: how you met, the moment you “knew,” a trip you took together. Your ketubah can depict, say, the park bench where he proposed, or a map of all the New York City apartments you both lived in before you met one another. At Ketuv, we have artists who specialize in everything from maps to portraits to family trees.

Start Thinking About Color
This could be as basic as wanting the ketubah to echo your wedding colors, or the colors of your home, or it could be more symbolic. I once had a couple who wanted their ketubah in red and blue because she was fiery and he was more calm. They wanted to highlight that balance in their color choice. Don’t be afraid to get creative!

How should my ketubah look? How do I choose an artist? This is often the hardest thing for most couples who aren’t themselves artistically inclined. At Ketuv, we like to think we’ve made this easy, as we work with more than 20 artists from around the globe, with a range of different styles. We’ve included portfolios of the artists’ personal work, so couples can browse and get a sense of the artists’ capabilities.

How do you even commission an artist to create your ketubah art anyway? Swing by tomorrow for Part II of the series!

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Your love is unique. We think your ketubah should reflect that.

Pingback: Ketubah As Fine Art: Part II | The Wedding Yentas™ | A Guide for the Jewish Bride!™
Pingback: The Custom Ketubah | Ketuv

Real Jewish Weddings | Minneapolis, MN

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Alison in Real Jewish Weddings

Rachel and Justin are lovely, relaxed, and very put-together people, so it’s no surprise that the same adjectives could be used to describe their beautiful Jewish wedding.

I love that the couple got ready and took photos in a modern location that looks great in pictures. The gallery art adds to the images of an already-gorgeous bride and groom! Let’s gush over Rachel: she looks incredible! I see her photos and instantly think: bridal model. For ultimate inspiration, the photos of the reception help confirm the beautiful purpley color scheme and delicately modern details. Fun touch for the end of the night: the Turkey to Go food truck {owned by a couple of the groomsmen}. Food trucks are the new photo booths. Think about it!

Mazel tov, Rachel and Justin!

real-jewish-weddings-|-minneapolis,-mn

Getting Ready & Photo Location: Le Meridien Chambers
Photographer: Erin Johnson Photography
Hair Stylist: Sara Grimaldi
Caterer: Oak Ridge Country Club
Event Planner & Designer: Amy Zaroff Events + Design
Floral Designer: Sadie’s Couture Floral and Event Styliing
Cake & Sweets Table Designer: Cocoa & Fig
Linens and Coverings: Linen Effects, Inc.
Equipment Rentals: apres
Makeup Artist: Andrea Holton

Pingback: Chuppah Rentals & Wedding Receptions Decoration Ideas|Wedding Planner

Personalized Jewelry

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Alison in Featured, Gotta Have It

It’s always nice for the bride to think of the special women in her life — bridesmaids, mothers, grandmothers, shower hostesses — during her wedding and offer them a token of love and gratitude. Keep in mind, though, that items like t-shirts, hoodies, or bracelet charms with BRIDESMAID embroidered or branded on, labeling the friend’s role in the bride’s day, may not be worn again after the wedding.

A more personalized gift like a piece of jewelry with the woman’s name or initial is much more personal and lasts, well, as long as her name does!

Baby Yenta was born last August and instead of wearing a necklace that says MOM, I am now wearing a piece with my daughter’s name and birth date and it’s much more special. Even when I’m not with her, I feel like she’s with me because I am carrying her name, literally, close to my heart.

I absolutely adore my necklace from Sima Gilady that just arrived and I think her pieces would make the most perfect gifts for VIWs: Very Important Women! The VIWs who are related to the wedding experience would plotz over this jewelry because Sima’s work is thorough and perfect, available in many different styles, and, the best part, is totally customizable.

Sima Gilady Jewelry make great gifts from the moment you hand it over to the lucky recipient. The packaging is impressive with a boutique flair due to the handmade care that went into each piece. I love the natural box, heart detail, and raffia ribbon.

sima-gilady-jewelry

The necklace I chose was exactly as I’d imagined it. The hammered discs were perfectly imperfect, and the baby’s name spelled correctly and displayed in an aesthetically pleasing way on the charm. I like that the discs are both silver and gold because I can wear the necklace with any outfit — day or night — and go casual or dressy. I’m a big fan of versatility and when you’re buying for someone else, it’s important to keep that in mind.

Then there’s Sima, the person. She is so kind and accommodating. Her service mirrors the final product: professional and desirable. It always feels good to give business to a small, independent artist and she deserves all of the success she’s had so far. Sima absolutely loves Jewish weddings and all special occasions. We had a great conversation about babies and kids, and I know she made my necklace with my daughter as her inspiration because she is a mother, too.

sima-gilady-jewelry

She speaks, reads, and writes Hebrew and can even stamp the discs with Hebrew letters! So, gentlemen, ahem ahem, if you’d like to buy your bride a wedding gift with the Hebrew date or your Hebrew names, Sima can definitely accommodate this! A bilingual jeweler who is great to work with and has talent, too? It really doesn’t get any better!

So for a bridesmaid gift, hostess thank you, or a symbol of your love for your mother who’s kvelling on her daughter’s big day, consider giving a beautiful piece of Sima Gilady jewelry that can be worn over and over again with great love and sweet memories.

sima-gilady-jewelry

Visit Sima Gilady on etsy, her website, and on Facebook.

Hamantaschen To Go

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Alison in Jewish Recipes, Jewish Traditions

As was discussed yesterday, it’s Purim!! What a fun and happy time! And if you’re getting married this weekend, then that’s a double dose of a fun and happy time!!! See all these exclamation marks? That’s how funny and happy Purim and weddings are.

The ooey-gooey, sweet, and oh-so-worth-the-diet-cheat-day Purim treat — the Hamantaschen — would be a great idea for a wedding favor. If you’re getting married next year around Purim, take note of this recipe from a yummy and helpful baking blog called Cupcake Project. And if you’re getting married this weekend, well, get to the kitchen immediately!

Even guests who are not members of the Tribe will like this goody to take home. Fruit or chocolate-filled pastries in fun triangle shapes? What’s not to love?

p.s. My personal favorite flavor is chocolate (duh). What’s yours? Oh, and to be clear, this is not my recipe. I am one of those Jewish girls whose specialty dishes include a great helping of Going Out or, the other delicacy, Ordering In.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
3 eggs
your choice of filling (jam, jelly, preserves, chocolate chips, nuts). The recipe also included directions for a prune filling: blend raw prunes in a food processor, adding the juice and rind of one lemon and 1/2 C honey for every pound of prunes used.

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Mix in butter and eggs.
Roll out dough and form hamantashen (I’ve got step by step visuals on this below).
Bake on a well-greased cookie sheet or on parchment paper for 12-15 minutes at 400 F.

How to Make Hamantashen

Roll out the dough and use cookie cutters or the rim of a glass to cut into circles. The recipe called for the dough to be 1/4 inch thick. Mine might have been a bit thicker than that. I didn’t measure. Don’t obsess about it.

You can make the circles any size you like.

Next, you’ll want to put a dollop of your filling in the middle of the circle. DO NOT put too much filling or it will overflow. Look at the first step’s photo to get a sense of the proportion of filling to circle. Follow pictures two through four to fold over the circle, magically turning it into a triangle.

Optional – You may want to moisten the edge of the circle with some water before folding. This will help it to stick shut. It’s especially helpful if the dough has gotten at all dry. You also may consider brushing the top of the triangle with egg to give it some extra shine.

We Jews seem to have a thing for pinching. [Insert mental image of a Jewish grandma squeezing a baby’s cheeks and saying, “Such a shayna punim (pretty face).”]

When I first attacked the task of turning the circles into triangles, my instinct was simply to pinch in the corners.

The problem was that they all opened up during baking. Moral (and this should apply in all areas of life): Do not pinch! Follow the folding method shown above.

Recipe and photos by Cupcake Project.