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'Artisanal' cheese: Woman crafts 5,393-pound sculpture

Doug Shore  —  7/04/2008 3:25 pm

Growing up in Manitowoc, Sarah Kaufmann's favorite pastime was drawing. She didn't care what she was drawing, as long as she had a pencil or crayon and some paper.

At the time, Kaufmann had no idea those countless hours spent filling sketchbooks would one day help her become a famous sculptor.

Most sculptors use stone, metal or wood for their creations. Kaufmann, however, has chosen a medium much closer to the heart of Wisconsin. She's made quite a name for herself chipping away at cheese. Yes, Sarah "The Cheese Lady" Kaufmann is a cheese sculptor.

Kaufmann was at Sam's Club on Madison's west side Friday carving Bucky Badger and other Wisconsin icons into a 5,393 pound, three-month-old block of mild cheddar cheese. As shoppers munched on small samples of the cheese, Kaufmann chiseled away with her wire loop tools. She expected to finish at 5 p.m.

The mammoth cheese block was made by Henning's Wisconsin Cheese. Located in Kiel, about 20 miles northwest of Sheboygan, Henning's has been in the cheese making business for over 90 years.

To make a 5,000-pound block of cheese, Henning's pours fresh cheese curds into a huge wooden form and presses it together to make a compact block.

"They are the real artists -- the cheese makers of Wisconsin," Kaufman said.

Kaufmann had essentially stopped drawing by the time she went to work for Wisconsin's Milk Marketing Board in the early 80's. For 15 years, Kaufmann served as the Board's Art Director. While preparing a slideshow in 1981, Kaufmann thought a carved piece of cheese would make a good cover for her presentation. Her career as a cheese sculptor had begun.

Kaufmann eventually took another marketing job in Cincinnati, working as a freelance cheese sculptor on the side. Twelve years later she quit her job to focus exclusively on her career as a sculptor.

Over the years, Kaufmann has been commissioned by many companies to complete sculptures, including a Lombardi Trophy for Sargento when the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl in 1997. She has also done sculptures of Brett Favre, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, John Madden, Al Michaels and Paul Newman.

The cheese sculpting business is going very well for Kaufmann. She said she is booked solid for the next three months, including week-long engagements at both the New York and Indiana state fairs.

Doug Shore  —  7/04/2008 3:25 pm