Meet The Artists

Blessing specializes in bead, aluminum, and wire-craft art. He was born and raised in Chitungwiza, a vibrant art hub just east of Harare, he grew up surrounded by creativity. Influenced by his father, a talented wire-craft artist himself, Blessing found his own passion for the craft through his father’s inspiration and mentorship. He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Zimbabwe.

Itai Mangenda was born in 1999, and grew up in Nyanga, Zimbabwe, in a family deeply rooted in the art of stone carving. His father, Sekesayi Mangenda, is a skilled sculptor renowned for his exquisite bust carvings. He also has several uncles who are stone sculptors. Shona sculpture is an art form passed down through generations; it carries with it the heritage and culture of Zimbabwean people. Itai's family serves as a testament to this lineage. Although he has not yet exhibited his works publicly, Itai continues to work towards his aspirations of exhibiting locally and internationally.

Marshall began sculpting at the age of 18. As he tells it, his love of the craft began when: “My two young sisters picked up a piece of soapstone on the side of the road and I carved a bird on it. I was so surprised with the outcome that my passion was immediately decided!”

Marshal’s Uncle, who is also an accomplished sculptor, saw his piece and invited Marshal to apprentice under him. In 2000, at the age of 24, his pieces were in high demand from several noteworthy institutions, including the National Gallery, Stone Heritage, and Ambassador Art Gallery. His works have been showcased in Germany, Australia, America, and Japan

Tendekayi was born in 1977 in Zimbabwe. He is a third-generation artist who learned his craft from his father and his grandfather. Tendekayi began carving at the age of 5 and after completing his tertiary education in 1998, he became a full-time sculptor.

He specializes in fine arts and prefers to work with hard and semi-precious stone which require great skill to craft. His work has been featured in galleries around the world and he has participated in international art events in The United States, Canada, Germany and China.

Moses was born in 1972 in the Nyanga district of Zimbabwe. He began stone sculpting in 1994 under the guidance of Charles Fast. He is presently a resident at Chitungwiza Arts Center, where he has been awarded one of the top selling artists; his works have been sold to customers world-wide. Moses has participated in many exhibitions throughout the region and prefers working with hard stones, such as verdite, spring stone, fruit serpentine, opal, butter jade, and lepidolite.

Tendai Rukodzi was born in Guruve, Zimbabwe in 1973. In 1993 he began working at Tengenenge, one of Zimbabwe’s premier artist communities. Two years later, he relocated to Harare where he collaborated with esteemed artists Joe Mutasa and Ray Chirambadare. Tendai’s sculptures have been showcased in the Netherlands, The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Korea, Israel, Malaysia, Japan, and China.

Farai comes from Murehwa, a rural area of Zimbabwe where he grew up in large family of nine. He began carving at the age of 10; his grandfather was a first-generation sculptor who passed the art down to Farai’s father; he in turn passed the art down to his own children.

Farai presently works at the Chitungwiza Arts Centre, one of the largest stone art hubs in Zimbabwe. Farai especially enjoys the challenge of carving Fine Art and abstracts on hard stones.  Farai has received numerous awards for his works, which have been exhibited throughout Europe, America, Australia, Africa and Asia.

Farai was born in Zimbabwe in 1975. In 1994 he took up the art of stone sculpting under the guidance of Charles Chikazunga and has been fully immersed in the craft ever since. Faria specializes in portraits and has sculpted several famous individuals, including Nelson Mandela, Barak Obama, and George Bush. His workshop is located in Chitungwiza Arts Center.

Tennyson Murukwa was born in 1968 south of the Chipinge District. At the age of 10, while still a student, began carving wood pieces as a hobby. His passion for art grew and at 24, he moved to Zimbabwe’s capital city, Harare, to pursue his dream of becoming a professional sculptor. Tennyson specializes in both sculpting and metalsmithing, and often merges the two art forms to create truly unique and intricate pieces. Tennyson's works selling both regionally and abroad. Presently, his workshop is located at the Chinembiri Art Center in Mbare, Zimbabwe.