For many marrying in the Jewish faith, the Jewish marriage contract is a central element of the commitment ceremony. For local artist Judith Joseph, painting decorative marriage contracts—called ketuba—is the central art form that she returns to again and again even as she expands her creative world with other projects.

A traditional document outlining the rights and responsibilities of the bridegroom, the ketuba has been a Jewish art form since the 14th century. Presented by a husband to his wife during the wedding ceremony, the ketuba is often decorated with beautiful artwork surrounding the written contract, and may be framed and displayed in the couple’s home as a keepsake after the wedding.

Joseph, who was commissioned to make a gift for Oprah, has been creating ketuba and other works of art for more than 30 years. Although she’s made ketuba her life’s work, she discovered the art form almost by coincidence when she was 17 and growing up in Milwaukee. Already very interested in art, Joseph bought a book on ketuba as an anniversary gift for her parents. Shortly afterward, the rabbi of a Jewish youth group she belonged to was getting married, and asked Judith if she would make the ketuba.

“I was a little nervous and didn’t really know what I was doing,” she recalled, “but I did it, using felt tip markers and gouache and watercolor paints.” 

Little by little, through word of mouth and client referrals, Joseph’s ketuba business grew. In her intricate, brightly colored creations, she tries to reflect the couple’s interests and personalities and works with each couple individually in hopes that every ketuba can become a family heirloom.

Discovering new tools and inspiration

Today, Joseph, who is 54, has moved on from felt tip markers and uses such materials as calligraphy ink and egg tempera. While working at the picture framing gallery Good’s of Evanston shortly after college, a co-worker recommended that she try painting with egg tempera. He showed her how to mix egg yolk with pigment to create beautifully intense paints.

“That was an incredible gift that changed my life,” she said. “I began using egg tempera and I still use it today, along with my calligraphy ink—no more felt tip markers.”

A wife and mother of three sons (yes, she made her own ketuba) Joseph has taught art at the Northside Catholic Academy and now teaches at The Art Center in Highland Park as well as at The Chicago Botanic Garden. 

“Judith is a consummate professional who loves what she does and that love is reflected in the quality of execution and design,” commented fellow Northbrook resident and former student Janie Baskin. “She has a terrific sense of color and her ability to utilize multiple mediums underscores her talent. If this weren't enough, Judith is one of the most generous artists I have ever met in terms of sharing her knowledge, mentoring other artists, and encouraging the arts.”

Joseph is also active in the local arts scene with shows of her own. Last summer, she put together an interactive art show, called The Owing Project, in response to the recent economic recession. The show included a debt confession booth where people could anonymously unburden themselves and talk about their debts.

“I felt like debt was the elephant standing in the room that no one wanted to talk about,” Joseph said. “I wanted to create art that addressed the issue.”

The show ran in Highland Park and in Chicago. Response was good, said Joseph, although, she added, “I think people in Chicago were more engaged.”

A gift for Oprah

Joseph’s star turn, so to speak, came recently, when she was commissioned to create a piece of artwork for Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey invited all of the living Freedom Riders to appear on her May 4 show in honor of the 50thanniversary of the event. Philip Posner, who had been a 22-year-old rabbinical student at the time, was one of 160 living Freedom Riders to appear on that show and wanted to give something to Oprah to commemorate the day.

An internet search led him to Joseph, and he asked her to create a work of art in Winfrey’s honor. Posner chose a verse from Proverbs and Joseph created a painting including the verse along with a firebombed Greyhound bus, a little girl (depicting Oprah as a child), a sunrise and a seed being planted to symbolize a new dawn and new growth for all ages, races and classes. 

“I really had to go deep for this,” she said. “My family helped me as well.” Her son recommended the sunrise and a tray of seedlings her husband had started, which gave her the idea for the concept of planting a seed for freedom.

“I don’t know if I would have been brave enough to have been a Freedom Rider,” Joseph observed. “I asked Rabbi Posner how he had the courage to do it and he answered, ‘How could I not?’”

Joseph delivered the artwork to a hotel downtown where the Freedom Riders were staying before the show, and Posner had 53 of the Freedom Riders sign it before he presented it to Oprah.

“I made a copy for myself,” Joseph said. “And I was able to have it signed by eight of the Freedom Riders when I delivered the original. It is something I’ll always treasure.”

Generations of ketubas

Joseph said that when she stretches herself creatively into new art forms, like the installation piece she did on debt, it enriches and invigorates all of the work that she does. But she always returns to ketuba.

About a year ago, she was asked to create a ketuba for the daughter of the rabbi who asked Joseph to create her first ketuba years ago.

“It was so special that it was his daughter,” said Joseph, adding that it was her first ketuba for a second generation.

“I cannot tell you how meaningful it was to us to have Judith create our daughter's beautiful and personalized ketuba,” said Rochelle Wenger, the rabbi’s wife.  “We still treasure ours, which she created some 38 years ago! We feel so special that we helped launch her career.”