Isla Clark 1929 - 2016
The Mother of Felt in New Zealand
Isla Clark died peacefully on the 27th October 2016. She was a dedicated and most generous person who was respected and honoured by so many friends in New Zealand and around the world. She was a mentor and tutor to many people, passing on her knowledge of felting so generously and willingly. Isla started felting in the early 1980s when she was one of the “pioneers’ exploring the technique.
Isla had a passion for felting, she would felt a scarf, jacket, mitts or other beautiful and unique article at least every other day. She constantly kept herself up-to-date by attending workshops and reading the latest felting magazines and newly published books and then would experiment on these ideas and produce a new creation from her inspirations.
Isla was one of the foundation members of the Christchurch Southern Felters Group. This developed into a large and dedicated group of felters meeting for felting days six or more times a year. The last felting meeting Isla attended in August last year, she was still helping and advising fellow felters on tips of making better felt. We all knew we could go to Isla for generous and sound advice. It was her generosity and support of new people that allowed Southern Felters to grow into the enthusiastic felting group it is today.
My own experience with Isla was, after introducing me and teaching me the art of felting, she continued mentoring and inspiring me right up to her final illness. I was always able to bounce off ideas with her and she always encouraged me to aim for the best. She was not only a mentor but became a very close friend for whom I had great respect.
We remember Isla for being an inspiration to so many, for dedication and passion to felting and for her generosity and willingness to share all she knew in this art form. She will be sorely missed.
Anna Harris (with contribution from Lynette Hartley)
Isla had a passion for felting, she would felt a scarf, jacket, mitts or other beautiful and unique article at least every other day. She constantly kept herself up-to-date by attending workshops and reading the latest felting magazines and newly published books and then would experiment on these ideas and produce a new creation from her inspirations.
Isla was one of the foundation members of the Christchurch Southern Felters Group. This developed into a large and dedicated group of felters meeting for felting days six or more times a year. The last felting meeting Isla attended in August last year, she was still helping and advising fellow felters on tips of making better felt. We all knew we could go to Isla for generous and sound advice. It was her generosity and support of new people that allowed Southern Felters to grow into the enthusiastic felting group it is today.
My own experience with Isla was, after introducing me and teaching me the art of felting, she continued mentoring and inspiring me right up to her final illness. I was always able to bounce off ideas with her and she always encouraged me to aim for the best. She was not only a mentor but became a very close friend for whom I had great respect.
We remember Isla for being an inspiration to so many, for dedication and passion to felting and for her generosity and willingness to share all she knew in this art form. She will be sorely missed.
Anna Harris (with contribution from Lynette Hartley)
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| One of Isla's beautiful nuno scarves, that Pauline Whitmore now treasures. |
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| Isla with the flower wall hanging Southern Felters made for her in 2014. Felters at the Glenroy Retreat in 2014 made a flower each and a background as a gift for Isla. |
The following photos were provided by Bettina Jacoby for an article she wrote for a
felting magazine in Europe about Isla and her work.
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