Cut Paper Ketubot - Ruth Mergi

I've been keeping a lookout for new paper cuttings from Ruth Mergi. She was already doing exceptional work when I first interviewed her a few years ago, although she had been seriously working as a paper artist for only about a year. American-born Ruth has continued to hone her craft from her home studio in Modiin, Israel while raising a young family.

This is an example of one of her recent custom pieces... a layered, hand painted marriage ketubah - exquisite!

The ketubot available in Ruth's Etsy shop are original, hand cuttings reproduced by laser on fine art paper. A couple's desired Hebrew text is giclée printed using digital technology. Ruth describes this damask-patterned ketubah as a modern classic. She shows new lace, lines, and Moroccan ketubah designs too.

Ruth's cuts are mind boggling indeed; sometimes she stacks many layers to add to the impact of a piece.

More new work is a series of hand drawn and scalpel-cut geometric tessellations with large forms in the center that become infinitely smaller toward the edge. This type of hyperbolic pattern appeals to her because it is ever-present in nature.

Examples from this series and many other delicate paper cuttings and ketubah examples will be featured in Ruth's first solo exhibition, Cut, opening this Thursday, April 11 through May 4 at the Hankin Gallery in Holon, Israel. Paper art worlds collide, as origamist Ilan Garibi will be a speaker. Here's another sneak peak of a show piece (no, make that a showpiece!)