Zimbabwe Artists Project

Martha was born in 1958.  She went to school through Grade 7, stopping because her father wasn’t working and there was no money to continue.  She has two children.  Her husband works in Harare, 100 miles away.  He comes home every month end. Martha began painting in 1998 “because it is easy for me,” and [...]

Jesca was born in 1968.  She attended school through Grade 7, stopping then because her parents didn’t have enough money for her to continue.  She has four children.  Her husband works in Harare, and he doesn’t come home because he has another wife in the city.  Jesca is the sole support for her family.  She [...]

Rita was born in 1982, the third of five children of Weya artist Veronica Chitsike Shonge.  She completed the equivalent of 10th grade at St. Benedict’s Mission.  She now lives with her mother and siblings in Bingeguru village, about 50 miles from Weya. Rita began doing art in 2003 in order to pay for medicine [...]

Richard was born in 1990 in Chiendambuya, the son of artist Melania Mazinyani.  He finished Form 4 (the equivalent of 10th grade).  He began drawing and painting while still in primary school, learning from his mother, Melania, and his stepfather, Promise Kayne.  In 2009, Richard decided to take up sadza painting rather than going to [...]

Melania was born in 1971 in Chiendambuya.  She is married and has two children.   She and her family now live in Tynwald, just outside of Harare.  Melania started sadza painting in 1988 at Weya Community Training Centre.  She and her husband, Promise Kayne, support their family exclusively through art.  Richard is Melania’s eldest child. He [...]

Margaret was born in Mutare, a city in Zimbabwe’s Eastern Highlands, in 1972, the eldest of 5 children.  She finished the equivalent of 10th grade.  In 1990 she married Taurai Mungure from Weya.  She, her husband and their 2 daughters live in Glen View, a high-density suburb of Harare, the capital city. Margaret began to [...]

Beauty was born in Weya in 1980.  She went to school through Grade 7.   Then, living in Harare with her grandmother, she continued her studies in night school but didn’t finish her education because of money problems.  She got married in 1998 and returned to Weya, to Zvimba village.  She has 3 children – 2 [...]