Artist Statement for "Celebration" Ketubah

Artist: Nishima Kaplan

Media - Torn Paper

In a sheltered grove, a ring of slender poplars and sturdy oaks celebrate the marriage of two interwoven trees.

Like the train of a wedding dress, the fiery display of orange, red and yellow leaves twirls around the trees, as they embrace each other in a joyous dance.

Nishima was inspired to create this stunning design by the gorgeous autumn landscape of her Blue Ridge Mountain back-yard.

The torn paper collage is constructed from hand-made Japanese paper that is torn, applied and layered onto board over the course of several days. The process is intensely meditative for the artist. She begins with only an idea in mind. No sketches of the artwork are done prior to beginning and no instruments other than the artists hand are used to tear the paper. Sudden inspirations, "accidents" and the natural beauty of the paper are allowed to "create" the artwork, using the artist as the vessel of expression. Spontaneous, creative, mystical: the words used to describe the process of creating this torn paper ketubah also describe the people who love it.