Laya Crust

Laya Crust was born and raised in Winnipeg, Canada, where she studied drafting and interior design. She is an accomplished lithographer and calligrapher who draws on her formal schooling as well as experiences in Canada and Israel to create her beautiful designs. Laya has printed and bound 3 books of lithographs, illustrated several children’s songs and illustrated and calligraphed "The Book of Ruth" in Hebrew. Since the marriage of a close friend in 1980, she has created over 400 ketubot, most of them original designs. Laya lives happily in Toronto with her husband and 6 children.

Abstractions II

This design features text from Shir HaShirim - the Song of Songs. The words are written in an abstracted, rapid hand to suggest the excitement of love and the progression of nature in the springtime. The wash of color throughout hints at the rains of spring and the blush of love. The text reads: "My Beloved called and said to me, 'Arise my love, my fair one and come away for the winter is over, the rain is past and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of the song bird is come. The voice of the turtle dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs and the vines in blossom give off their scent. Arise my love, my fair one, and come away. Oh my dove, who is in the crevice of the rock, let me see your countenance. Let me hear your voice for your voice is sweet and your countenance is lovely.'" Chapter 2, verses 10 - 14.

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