Wimbai Ngoma was born in 1975 in Nyanga, a beautiful mountainous region near the Mozambique border with a strong sculpting tradition. He spent his childhood in Nyanga and explored a range of arts and crafts while in school. He particularly enjoyed moulding clay sculptures of animals - reflecting a deep connection to nature which he maintains to this day.

After completing school Wimbai moved to Harare to explore new opportunities. Initially his plan had been to attend college, but after a chance encounter in 1998 with master carver Passmore Mashaya, he made what he describes as a “u-turn”. He began an apprenticeship with Passmore who was based at Chapungu Sculpture Park, which was a thriving cultural destination at the time.

Wimbai explains that he was ”loaded with ideas and inspiration” but lacked the technical skills to transition to stone carving. And the apprenticeship would give him this foundation. Wimbai describes his time at Chapungu as a “rare privilege” which enabled him to work alongside some of Zimbabwe's finest first and second-generation sculptors.

During this period he met Passmore's brother Tinei, an experienced sculptor working from his home studio in Greendale. Still eager to learn, Wimbai accepted an invitation to join his workshop where he soon began to focus on his own art practice. In 2001 he sold his first sculpture, a small bird, to a dealer from the UK.

Soon he was solely focussed on producing his own work and galleries and art dealers were quick to notice. Wimbai also participated in several local art events including the Harare International Festival of The Arts. His first notable local achievement, in 2007, was winning second prize at the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe's group exhibition entitled Celebration.

I n 2008 Wimbai was invited to participate in a sculpture exhibition in Germany's Westfallen Botanical Garden. Since then he has been invited to Germany every year to participate in exhibitions and lead sculpting workshops organized by Shona-Art Galerie in several German cities. Wimbai is an experienced and gifted mentor who believes that teaching others has also helped him grow as an artist.

According to Fran Fearnley, former Curator ZimArt Gallery, Wimbai is a philosopher-artist who creates stories in stone. Whether he is exploring the freedom of a bird in flight or the emotion of one of his human subjects, there is a quiet balance and subtlety to his work. Wimbai enjoys the physicality of sculpting and describes his relationship with the stone as “intimate”. The authentic connection between the creator and the medium, combined with a love for the process itself, makes for powerful art.

Wimbai has worked from his own studio in Greendale since 2004. His distinctive sculptures have sold to galleries and collectors in the US, Austria, Holland, South Korea, China, Portugal, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, South Africa, the UK and Canada.