How The Stone Is Worked

We work with Shona stone from different parts of Zimbabwe. The stone contains many rich colours and variations within it. Shona stone is named after the largest tribe engaged in sculpting stone in Zimbabwe, the only country on the African continent that has large deposits of serpentine stone suitable for sculpting. Serpentine stone is a metamorphic rock that exhibits a wide range of colors, including earthy browns, vibrant greens, deep blacks, and even occasional flashes of red and orange. This natural diversity adds a unique touch to every sculpture, making each piece a one-of-a-kind work of art. The Shona people have mastered the art of working with Shona stone, and their sculptures have gained international recognition for their exceptional craftsmanship and artistic expression. Shona artists skillfully transform blocks of stone into intricate sculptures that depict various subjects, such as animals, human figures, and abstract forms. These sculptures often convey powerful messages rooted in the Shona culture and traditions, showcasing the deep connection between art and life in Zimbabwe.

This process starts with the selection and transportation of the raw stones. These raw stones are mines from hills or on open grounds, then transported to the artists’ workshop.

Most of these workshops are simple make shifts built out of tree logs,tents,plastics or grass thatching.Resources to build proper structures are often out of reach for most artist,hence they rely of these makeshift workshops to cover direct sun heat and rains.

Once the artist has a visual picture of the piece he intends to craft, he uses a selection of tools to start the carving process.
The selection of man-made hand tools includes chasing hammers,chisels,rasps, and a selection of sand papers ranging from rough to the very finest course.
No power tools are used at any stage in the process. This is original, fine art created entirely by hand.
Once the sculpture is designed and carved ,the artist uses steel rasps and wet water papers to give the piece a smooth out surface feel.This sanding process uses a wide range of water papers from rough to fine

This is followed by the heating and waxing process, which gives the sculpture a shiny tectile feel.
The highly polished finish is achieved by heating the stone near a wood fire, and then, when it’s very hot, a colourless wax is applied on those parts of the stone the artist wants polished. Once the waxed stone has cooled, these areas are buffed with a cloth to bring out the enormous range of flecks, speckles, and colours in the stone. The artists explain that polishing always holds elements of surprise for them. Although they can read the stone’s colour in its unpolished state, there are subtleties that are only apparent once the stone is waxed.

Sculpture Polishing using propane gas to heat

Now that the sculpture is finished its ready for display.
Most sculptors display their art in open-air studios. Sculpture parks are a favoured way of displaying work for sale, and the country’s national galleries all have sculpture gardens or courtyards. This tradition of outdoor exhibitions for Shona sculpture has become very popular in many European countries, Australia, and more recently in the U.S. These sculptures are suitable for both outside or indoors in every one of our seasons.