Ignatius Chinyama was born in Mutoko in a family of seven – four boys and three girls, four have passed away.
He was educated from 1991-1997 at Makora primary school, Mutoko. In 1998-2001 he did his “O” Level’s at Warren Park
High 1 Secondary School.
Ignatius has excellent analytic skills and has creative problem solving skills that are usually out of the box. He strives to constantly nurture and improve himself for the benefit of others and himself. He has learnt the art of self motivation and is a hard and smart worker who focuses on achieving the best from minimum resources.
Ignatius can use his imagination to carve a stone.
He aims to exchange cultures with others through his pieces. He started sculpting in 1998 during his school holidays. He was in grade 7 and worked as an assistant to his brother Nhamo Jasi in Chitungwiza, he is the one that inspired him. In 2001 he started to work with Coster Balakasi at Silveira House under supervision of different artists including the late Nicodemus Mamvura, Godfrey William and the late Lloyd Chikede.
Art collectors come to Silveira House to buy some of his sculptures.
He started to do his own work in 2002 as a member of Artpeace co-operative. He can work on the following stones; Fruit Serpentine, Leopard Rock, Springstone, Cobalt, Lapidolite, Verdite, Butterjade, Limestone and Granite. He can turn these raw stones into impressive work with a visual feeling, emotion and fine art relating to the Shona way of living – headman, chiefs, love, and social and economic affairs of Zimbabwe and the world.
Ignatius has exhibited in 2009 in the UK in Marlow, Loughborough, Windermere and the URC London.