Martha Starke ’84 Owner, PulpArt.Etsy.com, Saratoga Springs, NY
About Martha: Graduating from Derryfield in 1984, Martha earned a B.A. in English from William Smith College in Geneva, NY. “I have always loved writing and reading. I journaled in my diary every day when I was a kid. I loved not just the writing but the feel of pen to paper. Turning the thick pages inside of a handmade journal gave me as much satisfaction as writing down my thoughts. I became a newspaper editor in my twenties and merged my love of paper with a fascination with words—not just their meanings but how they look on the page. I would stay late at work to help the Layout Department design the pages, learning about how white space can be important in a story. So, I loved the look of the written word as much as its meaning. When I was engaged to be married, I took a class in paper-making and I was hooked. Words, paper, torn up and combined with water to make a new crisp sheet of paper ... it thrilled me. I made all of my own wedding invitations from my handmade paper back in 1994 and have been making paper by hand ever since.”
About Pulp Art and green initiatives: Martha uses 100% recycled paper scraps, junk mail, and old school papers to make handmade paper using traditional paper-making techniques first developed by the Chinese. Recently, she started adding perennial seeds to the pulp to make an even greener product. Now after her paper products are used, they can be planted to begin a perennial flower bed. Martha specializes in wedding products— especially place cards, favors, and invitations—but loves making all kinds of paper-based art.
www.pulpart.etsy.com
Favorite Derryfield teacher: Steve Bradley (former biology teacher). He made everything fun.
Favorite Derryfield tradition: Watching basketball games, particularly when the guys borrowed our field hockey uniforms and acted like cheerleaders.
Best thing learned at Derryfield: The best learning happens when you feel you are part of a large family.