Artist & Chef LISA RAUCHWERGER
Chef Lisa
LISA RAUCHWERGER is a freelance artist, published author and chef, specializing in papercuts, paper sculpture, calligraphy, ketubot (Jewish ritual marriage contracts), graphics and illustration, as well as savory culinary creations and sweet edible delights. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Illustration/Graphic Design with a minor in Jewish Studies from California State University, Northridge, a Diploma of Essential Professional Culinary Skills from the Professional Culinary Institute, and a Certificate of Completion in Cake Decoration from Sugar Butter Flour Bakery. Lisa's unique papercuts, which she describes as “visual midrashim”, offer contemporary insights into traditional Hebrew texts, infusing them with new, symbolic meaning.
Lisa discovered the art of Jewish papercutting in 1987 from master papercutter, Jerry Novorr, while attending Brandeis Camp Institute in Simi Valley, CA. In 1988-89, after graduating Magna Cum Laude, Lisa worked for a year as an in-house illustrator for a local Jewish publishing house, after which she started her own business, Cutting Edge Creations, and spent four successful years creating custom-made papercuts, ketubot and illustrations on commission. During that time Lisa also served as Artist in Residence for the American Jewish Congress Feminist Center, where she designed their logos and helped write, design and produce their first three feminist haggadot. Lisa has also designed logos for six International CAJE conferences, (Conference on Alternatives in Jewish Education), as well as created album covers for singers Debbie Friedman z''l, Craig Taubman and Cindy Paley, among others. Lisa has taught papercutting workshops around the country for synagogues, schools and conferences, and her delightful paper sculpture illustrations illustrate her first children's book, A Mouse in Our Jewish House. Her work has been shown at synagogues, galleries and JCCs around the country, including Every Picture Tells A Story, a gallery of original children's book illustration.
Lisa spent a year in Jerusalem, Israel, where she spent her time working for an educational multi-media firm, and working on the illustrations and design for the CD-ROM, Leonardo, The Inventor, after which she transplanted herself to the “Right Coast” where she set up her studio on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. In New York, her work graced the cover of Journey to Freedom, the 1995 Haggadah of Ma’yan: The Jewish Women’s Project, and was also featured in special issues of The Jerusalem Report and Moment magazine. In New York, Lisa's papercuts and paper sculpture midrashim were exhibited in solo shows at the Riverdale Y and the Mid-Island Y JCC, and in Connecticut at the JCC of Stamford.
Most recently, Lisa has written and illustrated 3 bestselling children's books: Chocolate Chip Challah and Other Twists on the Jewish Holiday Table,
An Interactive Family Cookbook, and a companion to the cookbook, The Chocolate Chip Challah Activity Book, vols. I & II. She also recently designed a line of whimsical Jewish children's clothing called Chaiwear, based on the holiday illustrations in her book. Lisa created the books and clothing line while residing in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where her work was also featured in a solo show at the Akron JCC.
Lisa moved back to the west coast in 2001. In the Fall of 2010, after the economic down-turn made being a full-time artist challenging at best, Lisa went to Culinary School, and is currently dabbling in the edible media of fondant and experimenting with gourmet recipes on willing friends and family. She currently makes her home in Northern California, where she continues to create papercuts, paper sculpture, ketubot and fondant sculpture, and bring to life more Cutting Edge Creations.
CLIENT LIST
Congregation Beth Am
A Sanctuary in Time
Oil pastel painting for Shabbat CD cover
The Jewish Chaplaincy at Stanford Hospital
Shofar Papercut Rosh Hashanah Card, 2015
Hamsa Mishebeirach Cards for patients
Watercolor Hamsa logo for 10th Anniversary
KLUTZ
Twirled Paper
Paper sculpture jungle scene as a backdrop for twirled paper critters
Babaganewz Magazine
Illustration
Paper sculpture & watercolor illustration for a re-printed version of my chocolate chip challah recipe, January, 2005 issue
KLUTZ
The Fabulous Book of Paper Dolls
Paper sculpture illustration of a park scene for background of paper dolls
KLUTZ
My Fabulous Life in Pictures
Paper sculpture illustration of a family tree
Chaiwear
Line of Children's Clothing
Design and illustration for line of Jewish children's clothing
UAHC Press (now URJ Press)
Chocolate Chip Challah
Writing, illustration and design for an interactive Jewish holiday cookbook and accompanying activity books for families and children
Soapbox Advertising & Design
Riverside Scene for Workbook Cover
Paper sculpture riverside scene for cover of MTI Adventurewear catalog
Cindy Paley
Album Cover
Illustration for cassette covers, vols. 1 & 2
Torah Aura Productions
Assorted Projects
Illustration for a number of educational children's books and materials, including paper sculpture illustration for A Mouse in Our Jewish House, (my first published children's book!)
Craig Taubman
Yad B'Yad Album Cover
Paper sculpture cassette cover
NYK Line
Trade Magazine Ad Series
Advertising illustration, including smiling veggies, electronics, and fruits and nuts for shipping line ad campaign
Babaganewz Magazine
Pull-out poster
Paper sculpture poster for December '02 edition representing the power of words to heal rather than hurt
The Straight Edge, Inc.
Jewish Holidays Color a Mat™
Design for a Jewish holidays coloring mat for children
UAHC Press (now URJ Press)
Assorted Projects
Paper sculpture, papercut and watercolor & ink illustration for assorted book covers, catalog covers and children's educational pamphlets
North American Federation of Temple Brotherhoods
New Year's Cards
Design 4 distinct New Year's Cards for Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur '02
CAJE (Conference on Alternatives in Jewish Education)
Conference Logo
Conference logo design to be printed on all conference-related materials and accompanying merchandise. . .(I created 6 different CAJE logos over a number of years)
Lisa discovered the art of Jewish papercutting in 1987 from master papercutter, Jerry Novorr, while attending Brandeis Camp Institute in Simi Valley, CA. In 1988-89, after graduating Magna Cum Laude, Lisa worked for a year as an in-house illustrator for a local Jewish publishing house, after which she started her own business, Cutting Edge Creations, and spent four successful years creating custom-made papercuts, ketubot and illustrations on commission. During that time Lisa also served as Artist in Residence for the American Jewish Congress Feminist Center, where she designed their logos and helped write, design and produce their first three feminist haggadot. Lisa has also designed logos for six International CAJE conferences, (Conference on Alternatives in Jewish Education), as well as created album covers for singers Debbie Friedman z''l, Craig Taubman and Cindy Paley, among others. Lisa has taught papercutting workshops around the country for synagogues, schools and conferences, and her delightful paper sculpture illustrations illustrate her first children's book, A Mouse in Our Jewish House. Her work has been shown at synagogues, galleries and JCCs around the country, including Every Picture Tells A Story, a gallery of original children's book illustration.
Lisa spent a year in Jerusalem, Israel, where she spent her time working for an educational multi-media firm, and working on the illustrations and design for the CD-ROM, Leonardo, The Inventor, after which she transplanted herself to the “Right Coast” where she set up her studio on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. In New York, her work graced the cover of Journey to Freedom, the 1995 Haggadah of Ma’yan: The Jewish Women’s Project, and was also featured in special issues of The Jerusalem Report and Moment magazine. In New York, Lisa's papercuts and paper sculpture midrashim were exhibited in solo shows at the Riverdale Y and the Mid-Island Y JCC, and in Connecticut at the JCC of Stamford.
Most recently, Lisa has written and illustrated 3 bestselling children's books: Chocolate Chip Challah and Other Twists on the Jewish Holiday Table,
An Interactive Family Cookbook, and a companion to the cookbook, The Chocolate Chip Challah Activity Book, vols. I & II. She also recently designed a line of whimsical Jewish children's clothing called Chaiwear, based on the holiday illustrations in her book. Lisa created the books and clothing line while residing in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where her work was also featured in a solo show at the Akron JCC.
Lisa moved back to the west coast in 2001. In the Fall of 2010, after the economic down-turn made being a full-time artist challenging at best, Lisa went to Culinary School, and is currently dabbling in the edible media of fondant and experimenting with gourmet recipes on willing friends and family. She currently makes her home in Northern California, where she continues to create papercuts, paper sculpture, ketubot and fondant sculpture, and bring to life more Cutting Edge Creations.
CLIENT LIST
Congregation Beth Am
A Sanctuary in Time
Oil pastel painting for Shabbat CD cover
The Jewish Chaplaincy at Stanford Hospital
Shofar Papercut Rosh Hashanah Card, 2015
Hamsa Mishebeirach Cards for patients
Watercolor Hamsa logo for 10th Anniversary
KLUTZ
Twirled Paper
Paper sculpture jungle scene as a backdrop for twirled paper critters
Babaganewz Magazine
Illustration
Paper sculpture & watercolor illustration for a re-printed version of my chocolate chip challah recipe, January, 2005 issue
KLUTZ
The Fabulous Book of Paper Dolls
Paper sculpture illustration of a park scene for background of paper dolls
KLUTZ
My Fabulous Life in Pictures
Paper sculpture illustration of a family tree
Chaiwear
Line of Children's Clothing
Design and illustration for line of Jewish children's clothing
UAHC Press (now URJ Press)
Chocolate Chip Challah
Writing, illustration and design for an interactive Jewish holiday cookbook and accompanying activity books for families and children
Soapbox Advertising & Design
Riverside Scene for Workbook Cover
Paper sculpture riverside scene for cover of MTI Adventurewear catalog
Cindy Paley
Album Cover
Illustration for cassette covers, vols. 1 & 2
Torah Aura Productions
Assorted Projects
Illustration for a number of educational children's books and materials, including paper sculpture illustration for A Mouse in Our Jewish House, (my first published children's book!)
Craig Taubman
Yad B'Yad Album Cover
Paper sculpture cassette cover
NYK Line
Trade Magazine Ad Series
Advertising illustration, including smiling veggies, electronics, and fruits and nuts for shipping line ad campaign
Babaganewz Magazine
Pull-out poster
Paper sculpture poster for December '02 edition representing the power of words to heal rather than hurt
The Straight Edge, Inc.
Jewish Holidays Color a Mat™
Design for a Jewish holidays coloring mat for children
UAHC Press (now URJ Press)
Assorted Projects
Paper sculpture, papercut and watercolor & ink illustration for assorted book covers, catalog covers and children's educational pamphlets
North American Federation of Temple Brotherhoods
New Year's Cards
Design 4 distinct New Year's Cards for Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur '02
CAJE (Conference on Alternatives in Jewish Education)
Conference Logo
Conference logo design to be printed on all conference-related materials and accompanying merchandise. . .(I created 6 different CAJE logos over a number of years)
© Lisa Rauchwerger
