Tinashe Makaza
Tinashe was born in 1972 in the Guruve district, which is situated in the Northwest of Zimbabwe. He was the fourth born child in a family of seven and is from the Shona tribe.
Makaza was instantly drawn to the brightly coloured sculpture and was soon creating his own pieces. It was not long before his works attracted the eye of the late Brighton Sango, one of Zimbabwe’s leading second generation sculptors, who apart from doing his own sculpture was also running a small gallery dedicated to helping younger, less established sculptors. Tinashe received a lot of encouragement from Sango and still draws on it today, whenever he feels his commitment weaken. Many sculptors in the region thought that Tinashe was possessed by “art Spirits” because his works were so creative and highly commended by Sango.
Makaza's work is very influenced by his natural surroundings, his sculpture reflecting the organic shapes found in mountains, clouds or flowers, his volumetric forms indicate a keen sense of awareness of his environment, he is not copying nature but merely studying it. He is now a full time sculptor having been sculpting for eight years and supporting himself from the sale f his works. As far as his influences are concerned, apart from nature he admires the work of Bernard Matamera and the late Gladman Zinyeka.
Makaza has been working with Chapungu Sculpture Park and is presently under contract with them for a year, where Chapungu will do their utmost to promote and display his works overseas and in all their exhibitions.
Makaza learned the basics of stone carving with Boira Mteki and assisted him for a six-month period – still recalling the first sculpture he assisted on, a sitting chameleon from green serpentine. He has also assisted Agnes Nyanhongo, Arthur Fata, Cosmas Muchenje and Garrison Machinjili.