Sharon Dede Padi: Ghanaian creatives share memories of departed celebrated artist

Creative art enthusiasts are coming to terms with the loss of Sharon Dede Padi, Ghana’s iconic artist, curator, and Guinness World Record holder for the Largest Leaf Print Painting.

Tributes posted following her passing on July 7, 2026, are celebrating her exceptional qualities and effort in helping project indigenous artwork on the global stage.

Padiki was preparing to exhibit her work: “Unity in Leaves”, as part of the Commonwealth Earth Canvas at the Afro Park Fest scheduled for July 25, 2026, in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom.

In a letter to the Ghana News Agency for the event, she described the Commonwealth Earth Canvas “as a cultural initiative which connects artists and communities, reflecting values including unity, cultural pride and environmental stewardship.”

She was in media partnership engagement with the Agency towards projecting the Ghanaian and African identity to the world.

Emily Darlington, Member of Parliament for Milton Keynes Central, had expressed support for the exhibition which will now be held in her honour.

Sources close to Ghana News Agency said the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, had sponsored her flight fare to the event, following meetings with the Ghana High Commission and key partners two weeks ago.

Padiki more than 1,200 paintings dotted in and around the Rock City Hotel in Kwahu, in the Eastern Region. In May this year, she performed a live painting for King Mswati III of Eswatini to mark the Monarch’s 58th birthday and 40th anniversary on the throne.

Sharing memories of the talented artist on Facebook, Mr Akwasi Agyemang, former Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Tourism Authority, said she left with “so much” unfinished projects.

‘You started a painting at the stadium that day, and said you would finish it and send it to me…You were going to come to AfricaWeek UK and paint the story of the diaspora…but death did not wait for these things to be finished.”

“I will hold on to the memories of your numerous paintings I have, your smile, your colours, your quiet strength, and the promises you meant to keep, even though time ran out,” he added.

Makeup Artist, Roselyn Akosua Mantey, a Guinness World Record holder for the longest make up application attempt, said Padiki’s demise was unbelievable.

“I kept texting and calling you…please wake up! After celebrating your 50th Birthday and signing a deal with Okuapeman? No this can’t be true,” she wrote.

Another user, Kwame Sam, expressed condolences to the family: “It’s hard to believe that I won’t receive another message from you asking me to share your latest artwork or support your YouTube channel. Those small conversations, which seemed so ordinary at the time, have suddenly become priceless memories.”

Creator Kizito Amartey added: “I could take a casual guess and predict we will be at the same event month after month. Our talks centred on the several prospects of the creative industry and all the things we wished and hoped for as artists. It became obvious that, your passion for the creative arts was unmatched.”

Padiki’s letter to the Ghana News Agency stated in part:

“Ghana News Agency is not simply a media house – it is a national institution. Since its founding, GNA has served as the authoritative record of Ghana’s story, distributing news to subscribers across the country and to international wire partners around the world.

“Your Agency’s stories carry a credibility and reach that no other Ghanaian media outlet can match.

“For Unity in Leaves and the Commonwealth Earth Canvas project, GNA’s involvement would do three critical things: it would give the project the stamp of national credibility it deserves, it would ensure that Ghanaians at home and abroad know that one of their own is representing the nation on a Commonwealth platform, and it would connect this cultural moment to the global news ecosystem through GNA’s international distribution network.

“This is a story that belongs to Ghana – and GNA is the natural home for Ghana’s stories. A Guinness World Record holder carrying Ghanaian art to a Commonwealth stage in the United Kingdom is precisely the kind of story that GNA was built to tell.”

Born in 1976, Padiki studied Architecture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) before obtaining a Master’s degree in Construction and Project Management from London South Bank University.

She founded the Padiki Art Gallery, where she showcased her works while mentoring and creating opportunities for emerging artists. Her paintings often explored themes of identity, culture and everyday Ghanaian life.

Beyond her artistic practice, Padiki was an advocate for Ghana’s creative industry, calling for increased investment in the arts, improved access to quality materials, and greater financial support for young creatives.

In 2022, she was appointed to the board of Ghana Digital Centres Limited, contributing to initiatives aimed at promoting innovation and strengthening the country’s creative economy.

She was named Visual Arts Ambassador for the 200th anniversary celebration of the Odwira Festival.

During the launch of the bicentenary celebrations, she unveiled a live painting of the Okuapehene, Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III, underscoring her commitment to preserving and promoting Ghanaian culture through art. She is survived by three children.

Source: GNA