You may have seen Troy Landwehr's work on TV, since a thousand pounds of cheddar carved into the likeness of the Founding Fathers and set in the middle of Times Square tend to attract a lot of attention.
Landwehr, who lives in Wisconsin (naturally) is a unique artist who likes to work with the oddest of mediums: young cheddar cheese. Mostly he does sculptures for weddings or corporate parties. He said in a phone interview in June 2008 that his tabletop-sized art is normally around 40 pounds.
The Big Cheese Tour
He started getting international attention after he was hired by Cheez-It to carve gargantuan cheese sculptures for an Independence Day "Big Cheese Tour." for Cheez-It. His first Big Cheese was a 640-pound Mount Rushmore replica done in 2007. In 2008 he did a painstakingly detailed carving of John Trumbull’s Declaration of Independence, in a four-foot wide block of cheddar. It was his biggest sculpture to date. He's working on a seven-foot tall Lincoln for Independence Day 2009.
Landwehr’s carvings last about three days on display, and can stay fresh for weeks if refrigerated. He creates his art in a refrigerated cheese warehouse in Little Chute, Wisconsin. The finished cheese is carefully loaded in a refrigerated truck and toured around the country.
Disney Cheese Art
Cheez-It is not Landwehr's only big sponsor. The Disney company hired him to carve a likeness of Remy, a character from the film Ratatouille. It was used to promote the video's release in London.
The Early Show
On May 29, 2009, Landwehr made yet another TV appearance. This time, the CBS Early Show asked him to unveil a 640 pound a replica of Lincoln's statue from the Lincoln Memorial. Cheez-It commissioned the work in honor of the Lincoln Memorial's 87th anniversary.
Art You Can Eat
Like a wedding cake, Landwehr’s art can be eaten after it is displayed. Sculptures he creates for private parties end up as part of the buffet line. His "Big Cheese" sculptures are chopped up for food pantries.
Other Cheese Sculptures
Landwehr has also carved a 400-pound Ratatouille, a 640-pound Mount Rushmore, a 640=pound Lincoln Memorial and an 800-pound Lady Liberty. In 2009, he carved a 640-pound block of cheese into a likeness of Vince Lombardi for the U.S. Champion Cheese contest at Lambeau Field.
Why He Does It
Landwehr told Cheryl Anderson of the Post-Crescent, that he loves the opportunities – and attention – that have come from his cheese carving talent. He's met TV personalities like David Letterman and traveled the world with his art. And that's not cheesy at all.
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