Visigothic Knots — A Workshop with Risa Gettler
by Celeste Rossmiller
Just as the new year got underway, the CCG invited Risa Gettler to teach an online workshop day. Risa, among many related talents, is an instructor in contemporary adaptations of illuminations. Thus, she began class on Saturday, January 11 inspiring the students with a display of historical exemplars of “knot-work,” the magical, woven figures, often including zoomorphic (imaginative, even humorous animal) shapes. Then Risa worked alongside the students all day, instructing us in the particular form of “Solomon’s Knot.” Risa’s description of this knot narrates, “Solomon’s knot (aka Solomon’s seal) is a traditional decorative motif used since ancient times and found in many cultures; mosaic floors in Italy, stone mosaics in ancient synagogues, mosques in Cairo, African beadwork in crowns and masks, Central Asian prayer rugs, leaded glass windows in Moorish Spain, and now in Colorado!” The particular figure, contemporized for our own use in the class, comes from 8th century Moorish Spain. 
As student Stephanie Chao noted: “Risa’s classes are always fun and informative. This one was no exception. After printing the pattern onto Arches Text Wove, we painted layers of gouache, learning how to blend to create shadows and highlights. I look forward to more classes with Risa in the coming year.”
Risa is a teacher who encourages students at every turn. Her comment on Stephanie’s work shown at right was: “She just doesn’t know how to do anything short of wonderful.”
CCG member, Renee Jorgensen, adds her comments on the class: “I enjoyed Risa’s thorough, passionate instruction and thoughtful encouragement. What a great way to spend a day diving into painting and color as we worked on a Visigothic Knotwork outline, and onward toward a completed illumination. Thank you!”
Renee chose to do her work (shown above) in colored pencil, which Risa had suggested as a possible medium on the supply list.
The great thing about online workshops is that people can tune in from all over the world. Margaret Burgess of Australia adds, “It was a wonderfully paced workshop resulting in completed pieces, a great day.”
Margaret’s work is shown at the right.
Risa and students commented on how the time vanished as we concentrated on the slow, meticulous labor of painting, shading, highlighting, and completing the smallest details—a meditative type of shared endeavor. In the process, we learned how to use unexpected tools, such as a small, rounded burnisher to put in the dots, and create the details that give the finished piece a three-dimensional appearance. We have a greater appreciation for how medieval illuminators performed their daily tasks, likely in monastic scriptoriums. Our Solomon’s knots were not exactly simple, but compared to the densely-depicted figures and fancy versals found in the ancient manuscripts, we can be in awe of the intensive labor each figure involved.
A great thank you to Risa Gettler for providing the inspiration, guidance, and instruction for a beautiful artwork and the knowledge of how to adapt the same basic knot for other purposes—St. Patrick’s Day shamrocks, anyone!? Thanks as well to CCG Workshop Chair, Tess Vonfeldt-Gross for inviting Risa and setting up this day of learning, and to President Ann Hiemstra for coordinating all the technology that made it possible to have this international class day.