Tonderai Sowa

“Being an artist is a very good job. I was inspired by my stepfather, Julius Chinhoyi. He always taught me to socialise with people, and by so doing I ended up doing everything with love … I started carving happy families and from there I went on, looking at my theme. I started to imagine some sculptures through my theme and I believe anyone who buys my sculptures will do so out of love.”

Linos Tonderai Sowa was born in 1978 in Nyanga, which is in
Manicaland in Eastern Zimbabwe. He completed secondary education at Mapako School in 1995. Tonderai began sculpting with his step-father, Julius Chinhoyi. He worked with Julius for two years and another two years with Rosemary Chakanyuka in Chitungwiza before joining the Arts Centre in 2002. Tonderai is now a full-time artist at Chitungwiza Arts Centre.
Since 2010, Tonderai’s career has accelerated in leaps and bounds. Recent exhibition and events include:
2013 one-week sculpture workshop focusing on functional art (i.e. aesthetics and design of objects) organised by a Danish fair trade group
Oct 2013 second prize in the Art exhibition and competition
‘Celebration’, held at the Chitungwiza Arts Centre to celebrate its 15th Anniversary
Feb-Apr 2014 one of four Zimbabwean artists invited to participate in an Artist Exchange at Sonkala Yonkala in Luanda
Angola with Angolan artist Jao Mayembe