By: Chieloka Anadu
In the world of Sharon Flowers, a single thread is never just a material; it is a sentence in a much larger story.
A textile designer by training and a storyteller by instinct, Sharon occupies a unique space where fashion, business management, and fine art intersect. Her practice – a rhythmic, tactile exploration of punch-needling and tufting – goes beyond mere decoration. It is an interrogation of identity, a manifestation of thought, and a refusal to be “bound” by traditional artistic constraints.
Every piece Sharon creates begins in the silent theater of the mind. When asked how her work would speak if given a voice, her response is profound: “I exist because I was first imagined. I began as a thought and was manifested into reality.” This philosophical grounding transforms her floor and wall-based artworks into living artifacts. By combining fiber, texture, and pattern, she explores the delicate tethers between cultural identity and spirituality. For Sharon, the act of “tufting” is an act of grounding, bringing the ethereal concepts of heritage into a physical, touchable form.
Sharon’s creative DNA is an eclectic map that stretches across centuries and continents. Her work sits at a crossroads where the atmospheric light of J.M.W. Turner and the romanticism of the Pre-Raphaelites meet the bold, rhythmic geometries of Alma Thomas and Wassily Kandinsky, and the likes of Bridget Riley, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Vincent Van Gogh, Gustav Klimt, Monet, and Cézanne.
Her background in fashion further sharpens her eye for structure and silhouette. You can see the echoes of architectural masters like Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto in her work, alongside the provocative drama of Alexander McQueen. It is this refusal to stay in one lane that allows her to create textiles that sit comfortably between traditional African craftsmanship and contemporary expression.
There is a deliberate intentionality in Sharon’s choice of materials. She moves between the modern acrylic yarns and nylon and the foundational wool and cotton. Yet, it is the hessian that serves as her anchor, a natural material that grounds her more spiritual explorations.
Perhaps most symbolic are the cowrie shells she incorporates, nodding to ancestral wealth and spiritual significance. But look closely at the edges of her work, and you will find the ultimate expression of her philosophy: they are intentionally left unbound. “I feel binding can be restrictive,” she notes. In an industry often obsessed with “finished” and “contained” edges, Sharon chooses openness. For her, the loose edge represents freedom, movement, and a refusal to limit the expansion of her practice. It is a visual metaphor for a life and an identity that continues to grow beyond the frame.
Even for a creator of such vivid narratives, the “blank canvas” (or in this case, the empty hessian) can be daunting. When the creative flow slows, Sharon doesn’t force the thread. Instead, she turns to the sonic world. Whether it is the sprawling worlds of fantasy and science fiction, the quietude of meditation, or the rhythmic pulse of music, these audio landscapes allow her to reconnect with her imagination. It is a reminder that to create great visual art, one must often feed the other senses first.
Participating in the Blossom exhibition is more than just a gallery showing for Sharon; it is a political and professional statement. William Morris, Owen Jones, Gustav Klimt, Lucienne Day, and Laura Ashley each revolutionised textile art in their own way. For Sharon, she is on a mission to reposition textile art, demanding it be viewed with the same gravity as painting or sculpture. But more importantly, she is weaving a space for visibility. “I want to see Afro-diasporic African art, patterns, and spirituality represented and celebrated wherever I am in the world,” she says.
She allows the textures, the cowrie shells, and the unbound edges to speak for her. In doing so, she ensures that the focus remains exactly where it should be – on the stories being told, one loop at a time.
Follow Sharon’s journey on Instagram: @sharonflower99
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