'Being an artist is a very good job. My stepfather, Julius Chinhoyi, inspired me. He always taught me to socialise with people, and by so doing I ended up doing everything with love. When I started carving, love became the theme of my sculptures.'

Linos Tonderai Sowa was born in 1978 in Nyanga in eastern Zimbabwe.

Tonderai began sculpting with his step-father, Julius Chinhoyi, in 1995. 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 a full-time artist at Chitungwiza Arts Centre.

Tonderai’s sculptures are usually made from hard serpentine stones such as springstone, cobalt and fruit serpentine. He has exhibited every year in the annual Chitungwiza Arts Centre exhibitions, and his work has been included in exhibitions in Australia, South Korea, Europe and USA.

He is happily married with three children and his hobby is playing social soccer in a local team called D11 FC.