Studio Shamah is excited to work with you to create a medium-sized custom calligraphy which corresponds with your aesthetic and personal desires. Are you looking for select lines of Tehillim (Psalms) in Gold or Silver Ink? Stylized lines from your Bar or Bat Mitzvah Torah parasha? An heirloom family tree to pass from generation to generation? A personalized Hebrew poem, be it from the Bible, Yehuda Halevi, or a contemporary poet? We're happy to create any body of text, in almost any language, for any occasion into a beautiful piece of art.

The cost will include a consultation (either in-person, or virtually for those commissioning from abroad), and the final product will be painted onto high quality, cold-pressed watercolor paper, using a variety of inks, watercolor papers from Japan, Bombay dyes, and gold leaf.

Please Note: There may be a slight variation by a few centimeters to accommodate for the specific design needs

Your custom made Ketubah awaits you! Studio Shamah aims to offer you a Ketubah, or Jewish Marriage Contract, which represents you and your partner in symbolism, aesthetic, and heritage! Combining traditional methods with contemporary stylization, you will receive a piece which is tailored to your specific design and color palette that will join the engaged couple in eternal love and marriage.

In acquiring the custom ketubah service, the couple will have a consultation (either in person, or virtually if residing in different countries) with the artist, in order to discuss their desired text and design preferences, as well as look through a variety of historical ketubot together in order to identify themes and motifs which they like or dislike. Each work uses Bombay Inks, Japanese Watercolors, Gold Leaf, and more, to bring a brilliant and vibrant piece, painted on high quality, cold-pressed and hand-cut watercolor paper. Pieces will be 50 cm by 75 cm, unless design purposes require an additional or fewer few centimeters (parameters subject to a change of up to 5-6 centimeters in either direction to satisfy the design needs).

We look forward to being a part of your special day, and helping bind you in eternal matrimony with a piece that represents the both of you in every regard!

Please Note: Customized Ketubot must be ordered at least two months ahead of the wedding date, so as to accommodate for scheduling, and if relevant, shipping times.

“The idea of having a personalized ketubah was very important for my husband and I. This 'piece of paper' is not just a simple contract: it is the ring to a lifetime of love, and a generational inheritance. The artist did not hesitate one second to take the challenge and helped us put in colors our vision of our ketubah to make it a piece of art. Elegant, and using the highest quality tools and material to produce this magnificent ketubah. The surprise we had when we discovered it was one of the most beautiful gifts we could have on our wedding day! Thank you to this grand artist!” - Jeny M. 2019

This custom commission includes a comprehensive Studio Shamah design package for your wedding! Including:

A) Heirloom Custom Ketubah

B) Wedding Invitation Design (or) “Book Cover” for Benchers/Simhonim

C) Birkat HaBayit X2 For Each Set of Parents

“Moshe Shamah is an incredibly thoughtful collaborator and talented artist. From the initial meeting, it was clear that Peter was well-versed in his craft, walking us through numerous historical ketubot across the globe. He expertly blended what felt like completely different aesthetics into a cohesive concept. Throughout the entire process, he was attentive and communicative, taking great care to ensure everything was exactly how we wanted. The final product was a unique and visually stunning ketubah. It is a work of art that is now the centerpiece of our home and will be a special part of our family story for years to come. We highly recommend him!! Worth every cent” - Sarah S, New York City

Inspired by an etching "Temple Mount & the Temple of Solomon" printed in an Italian Book, from the 16th Century - A4, Gold Leaf Paint on Van Gogh Paper

Templum Solomonis part of an ongoing cartographic project aiming to capture the essence of Jerusalem throughout the centuries! Throughout most of the past three millennia of human history, Jerusalem was seen as the center of the world, the apple of God's eye, a cradle of civilization. Why not bring a little piece of home, well, home?

Painted on 300g black watercolor paper, with gold leaf paints, each of these pieces are based on historical manuscripts of maps/depictions of Jerusalem, and the notable landmarks it held! The sleek black design, contrasted with the shimmering copper-gold of the paint, which instantly makes any room feel more elegant! Every piece comes framed, and naturally, we'll ship them anywhere in the world!

Bombay Ink and Watercolor on Watercolor Paper, A4

This piece was one of the first artworks created by Moshe Shamah, in the aftermath of the October 7th attack - integrating the visuals of a phoenix and the notes of HaTikvah, coupled with the line from the book of Job, “In my own nest I shall grow old; I shall multiply my days like the phoenix”

A4, Japanese Watercolor & Gold Leaf Paint

Until She Opens Her Eyes, from my recent Studio Shamah series From Darkness, the Embers of Hope that was exhibited at the Waltuch Gallery in New Jersey this past August. Since the October 7th attacks - I've found it challenging to translate the pain and trauma of that day into a proper art series, until I completed these, nearly two years later. The burning emblem of the Kalanit (Anemone) has been seared in my mind since, as a symbol of our resilience, and our loss - one that recurs in my dreams, permeates through every thought, and often adorns my jacket. It, is us.

This piece, Protector of the Land, from the series From Darkness, the Embers of Hope, is a product of nearly two uneasy years of trying to transmute the trauma of October 7th through a creative lens. In particular, this work aims to explore the concept of protection and safety in our homeland in the aftermath of the worst attack in our history - utilizing the image of the Golem. The multiple attributes of the Golem in this context offer a kaleidoscopic view into the theme: What happens to a Golem, clay of flesh, when scorched through the kiln of war? What protection can the Golem offer, when it too, is a piece of “technology” made by man? Does the spirit of protection take on a life of its own as a national concept, much like the Golem takes on a life of its own after its creation? How does the idea of seeking external protection play a role in a state-making project whereby we take the responsibility of protection upon ourselves? Does the Golem serve not only to keep the invader outside the walls, but to keep us within?

And ultimately, how can we reapply the image of the Golem, which exists through hundreds of years of Jewish imagination, into our contemporary rekindling of an inherent visual culture as a nation reborn in our land? Perhaps most importantly, this piece encourages a hope for a better tomorrow, with the Golem standing stalwart in the service of Am Yisrael, with Kalaniyot (anemone flowers) blooming around it, signifying a nation that will return and rise from the ashes and rebuild as a unified people