Chai Style Art: Kauss’ Magical Clay Perfection

Local treasure Rosanne Kauss is herself molded somewhere between a visionary, sculptor, and engineer. Welcome to “Kauss house,” where almost everything is made out of clay. Rosanne’s elaborate “cakes” look good enough to eat; but not so fast. Those cakes, along with lifelike recreations of her daughter’s boots and Nikon camera, and husband, Andy’s, briefcase, are part of her lifelike clay projects. As special as this home décor is, it would be hard to find a local artist who has also placed more meaningful, large-scale commissioned Judaica projects.

Kauss said, “My first formal introduction to clay was in high school in Jacksonville. There I was transfixed by the many ways it could be used to create both functional works and more creative, non functional pieces.” Kauss is a methodically precise artist. She catalogues every moving part “just in case anything has to be replaced.” Her interpretations of shakable seeded pomegranates, ceramic torah scrolls, and an 8’ x 4’ mural at Congregation Or VeShalom are nothing less than masterpieces.

Before teaching art at The Epstein School, Kauss earned a BA in art education and a BFA in fine arts from the University of South Florida and the University of Massachusetts.

Enter her world of maquettes and sgraffito.

Jaffe: How do you get your hands dirty?
Kauss: I work exclusively in clay now. I create pieces using different glazes and underglazes. I use different clay bodies — standard stoneware, speckled clay, chocolate clay, and porcelain.

Jaffe: What’s that process like?
Kauss: It begins with paying attention to my environment, looking at objects and vignettes, contemplating, and imagining how they might look in clay. I focus on colors and textures and make extensive drawings and notes about methods and techniques. I also make several glaze test tiles to find precisely the right color and texture.
The Torah scroll pieces at OVS each took four months. The mural in the OVS Chapel was a 16 month project from conceptualization to installation. Depending on the size of the artwork, I make a “maquette” — a small clay model of a larger piece which allows visualization and insight. I will often remake a piece multiple times, until I feel it matches my vision.

Jaffe: What are your most unique pieces?
Kauss: “One off sculptures” that I had never attempted, like Andy’s retirement briefcase vignette with a yellow legal pad and paper clips, the Chihuly-style boat in the foyer, and the wall in our powder room, which occupied me during COVID. Lately I have been creating original “flower cakes.”

Jaffe: Share thoughts about your soulful Judaica.
Kauss: For a long time, I made and sold Rabbinic figures fired in Raku fashion and “Shtetl People” named for past relatives. I made also a tryptic based on three essential pillars of Judaism: Torah, tefillah and tzedakah. I created a Raku tile sculpture of the Seven Days of Creation, which is installed at AJA. I have always enjoyed making pomegranates in different sizes and glazes. Each pomegranates contains 18 “seeds” inside that rattle when shaken. I’m currently creating porcelain Yahrzeit candle holders.

Jaffe: So, at Or VeShalom you have …
Kauss: Three major pieces of my work are installed there. A variation of the Seven Days of Creation (AJA), as an open Torah scroll, was purchased and donated to OVS. This was the first piece of art at the synagogue. A matching Torah scroll of the seven major Jewish holidays was later commissioned for the shul’s 100th birthday.
My largest and most ambitious was a mural for the OVS Chapel commissioned by a congregant as a gift to the synagogue. I met with the congregant, rabbi and executive director multiple times, listening to their thoughts, redrawing the designs and presenting new versions until everyone was satisfied. The final size of the mural is approximately 8’ x 4,’ consisting of 46 pieces installed on three separate panels and joined as a single work. I made studio space at my home to accommodate it.
I made several maquettes to determine the proportions of the major pieces. Once the clay was leather hard, I laid out string to determine where to cut the pieces. I constructed drying racks for the work, which was covered in plastic and slowly dried over three weeks. I spritzed daily to assure uniform drying and avoid warping. There were multiple kiln firings, glazings, and additional firings. Once the pieces were numbered, wrapped and packed, I met the fabricator at OVS and installed it in five days.
The work incorporates three different clay bodies and six grout colors. The process involved 94 glaze test tiles. Watching the congregant’s first view of the mural installed in the chapel was overwhelmingly gratifying for me.

Jaffe: Do you lean towards certain hues?
Kauss: I prefer jewel tones – purple, blue and green, although I use multiple colors depending on the piece, especially my flower cakes. I also work in Sgraffito, usually a black and white process that involves scratching away the surface layer to reveal different colors beneath.

Jaffe: Describe your home/studio.
Kauss: The first time I walked into this townhouse, I knew it was the perfect space for us. While its exterior is evocative of an Italian villa, inside it is very contemporary, open and uncluttered. Some of our favorite pieces are a 10’ tryptic of Andy Warhol (Steve Penley) and a pair of Mordechai Rosenstein multi-media original paintings – “Genesis” and “Jacob Wrestling with the Angel.” We enjoy displaying photography, particularly our daughter’s, a professional photographer. For the interior renovation two years ago, Michael Alexander was the contractor and did an amazing job. We extended the cherry and oak flooring throughout the entire main level, installed new cabinetry, and made other changes which enhanced expansive sight lines.

Jaffe: You renovated the kitchen?
Kauss: We totally gutted it to correct and enhance, creating the most functional space for our cooking and entertaining needs. The design hides appliances and allows for additional workspace and new spaces to display my ceramics.

Jaffe: Last word …
Kauss: I have to warn visitors not to try to eat the cake!