Raised in Hollywood, Florida, as a child Sharon Kerry-Harlan was surrounded by art deco architecture, streamlined furniture, and mid-century modern patterns that piqued her interest in design. Her home life was enriched by graphic art, especially the paper and fabric collages made by her uncle, Marion Sampler, who worked as a graphic artist and educator in Los Angeles. As an adult, Sharon moved to the Midwest where she married, raised a family, worked, and graduated summa cum laude from Marquette University. She also studied at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.
Sharon’s artwork includes textiles, mixed media, and photography. It has been exhibited at the Smithsonian/Renwick Gallery, American Craft Museum, Harn Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, and the Haggerty Museum, among many others, and published in books and exhibition catalogues. In addition to her work as an artist, Sharon was an Academic Coordinator at Marquette University and taught textile and quilting courses as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
