Shepard Deve did his primary and secondary education in the country-side. His best subject at school during primary level was art. Unfortunately there were no art lessons at his secondary level, even though he was inconvenienced it did not take out the streak of art he had in him. It sometimes flashed and reflected when he used to draw animal pictures whilst he was at work. He shows interest in the world life programs on the television, studying the life of rare creatures and humanity as well. All these factors sums up his great unique desire in art but he had no chance and place to display his philosophy in that field.
He wounded himself in an accident in 2007 and rested for 2 months thinking of the way forward. Incidentally one morning he accompanied his wife in her daily chores at the Chitungwiza Arts Centre. She showed him the sculptures on displays and took me outside to where she was ‘washing’ someone’s sculpture. She taught him how to do that job. In no time Shepard mastered everything and started to do it individually.
At the end of 2007, one of Chitungwiza Arts Centres’ clients based in Canada asked him whether he was a specialist in ‘washing’ the stone or could he do both (i.e. sculpting too)? He replied that he had not yet started stone carving, and the lady gave him the encouragement to get involved. He gave her his word that he would start carving as soon as possible and acknowledged that promise by January 2008 by carving four small pieces of art in animal and bird form and exhibited this to her. She was naturally surprised and was so enamored with the pieces, she bought them to Canada.
Shepard pays homage to Mrs. Moyo who encouraged him a great deal and also not forgetting the accidental coincidence that naturally took him to where he belongs. From there he sold his sculptures to different customers such as Mr. Doug Dicker from Australia and many more buyers from different countries.
He now sculpts full-time in Chitungwiza Arts Centre and focusing sculpting animals, birds, fish and leaf-flowers. He has named his art ‘Fine Creation’ because it’s not far away from being fine and being creation – it’s in between.
