Sculpture of circles made of handmade paper
What an innovative, unique idea! Love all the colors and texture!
I just love finding and learning more about all the fascinating areas of arts and crafts which one can find on Etsy. I'm happy to have Martha and her Etsy shop, PULP ART here on DZFANTASY as a "featured" Etsy shop. Read below to learn more about Martha and her handmade paper creations.
What led you to start creating your art/craft?
I began making paper when I got engaged in 1992. I wanted to to make my own invitations and didn’t like the formal options available. I took a two-hour class, bought a mold and deckle and literally haven't stopped making paper ever since.
How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?
Before motherhood, I was a newspaper writer and editor. I started making greeting cards because I have always loved writing and sending (and receiving) cards. Since then, I have also incorporated pressed flowers into my greeting cards. I just use what I love.
What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?
I really hate measuring and being precise. I have made hand-bound books and stained glass windows. I have spent 7 hours threading a loom and another 10 hours weaving a wall hanging. I have drawn with charcoal and tried to get the correct proportions of the human body. I have dappled in all kinds of other arts and crafts where measuring is really important and ... I hate it! I love making paper because there is no measuring - just rip up paper, blend it with water and throw it in a vat. I have always been a frugal person, and it appeals to my sense of recycling and reusing. I also love that I can use so many “ingredients” in my paper. I have used shredded money, pot pourri, herbs from my garden, old spices that have lost their punch, love letters, grass clippings from the lawn...
If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?
Asparagus. The season is short and I always gorge myself on it until it’s gone. Every batch of paper is unique, with its own unique color from the scraps that I have used. I don’t use dyes or bleach to get the color; it all comes from the materials I use. Once its gone, it’s gone.
If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?
Jewelry making. I love going to bead stores and could spend hours pawing through the beads. I have learned how to “weave” different patterns for bracelets and beaded balls. So much fun.
What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?
Find multiple purposes for everything in your life. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Aside from sending less to the landfill, you’ll feel a great sense of purpose.
What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?
Call yourself what you are: an artist. I used to want to be an “artist” so badly, but I felt that I was just a crafter. A wise friend told me to just claim the title and move on with it already. I did. I applied to an artisans cooperative and got accepted. I have been there 10 years and have expanded myself so much there. I applied to a prestigious holiday juried craft show and got in. I now show at it every year. I never would have done so as a fearful crafter.
THANKS, Martha for taking the time to share your thoughts and creativity with everyone. It was interesting to learn what you use in making your handmade paper creations.
To see more of what PULP ART has to offer, be sure to click on the links below.
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