Zimbabwe Artists Project

Locadia was born in Weya in 1962, the youngest of three sisters. She attended Magura Primary School, but was unable to go to secondary school because her parents lacked the money for school fees. She was married in 1984 and has four children. She and her family live in Chitungwiza, a township [...]

Irene was born in 1947 in Weya. She went to school through fourth grade, stopping because the family had no money for her education. She is the mother of nine children. Her husband works in Bulawayo, hundreds of miles a way, returning home three times per year.
Irene is an expert potter who [...]

Loice was born in 1942 in Weya. She went to school through Grade 3, stopping because her father had three wives and said, “I don’t have money.” She was married in 1968, but has been divorced since 1980. She is a farmer and gardener, growing maize, groundnuts, tomatoes, onions, carrots and [...]

Sarudzai was born in 1972, the youngest of eight children. She attended school through the equivalent of 10th grade after which family financial constraints kept her from going further. She was married four years after leaving school and has three children. She lives with her husband and children in Gokwe in [...]

Agnes was born in 1948. She was educated through 6th grade, after which her mother couldn’t afford school fees. She was married in 1968 and moved to Weya in 1982, wanting to live in the rural area. Her husband works in a town about 170 miles away, and comes home once every [...]

Maziveni was born in 1966 in Mutoko. She came to Weya in 1990 when she got married. She studied through Grade 11. She has five children, and farms with her husband. She learned to make appliqués in 1992, having arrived in Weya after her marriage and deciding it would be interesting [...]

PHINEAS CHISANGO
Phineas was born in Weya in 1982, one of two children of his mother, Weya artist Milcah Mashonganyika.  He finished 11th grade at Tafara High School outside of Harare, the capital city.  He  is married and has two daughters, born in 2006.  He continues to live in Tafara.
Phineas began to do art in 1998, [...]

Margaret was born near Chendambuya, in Weya, in 1972.  She did her primary education in Weya and then completed tenth grade in Harare.  She was trained in art in 199l and joined the BAT Art Workshop in Harare in 1993.
Margaret was married in 1996.  She and her husband have one child.  They live in Chitungwiza, [...]

DAVID TENDAI CHIGUMIRA
The eighth of twelve children, David was born in Weya in 1967.  Because of eye problems which were later cured by a traditional healer, he stopped school after 8th grade.  He followed an elder brother in doing pencil drawings before art training was offered at the Weye Community Training Centre.  He was then [...]

MILCAH MASHONGANYIKA
Born in 1966, Milcah was raised in a family of 6 children.  She was married in 1982 and has 5 children.  Her husband died in 1994, at the age of 32.  She is now the sole support for her children.
Milcah learned to paint at the Weya Community Training Centre in 1988.  She moved to [...]