🤱 Abstract Face – by celebrated Shona Artists from Zimbabwe.

Abstract Art • Hand carved heritage • Spiritually grounding

This evocative 14 x 14 x 5 cm heavy stone sculpture, hand carved by the renowned Shona artists of Zimbabwe, portrays a serene abstract face with timeless elegance. A one‑of‑a‑kind creation, sculpted from native serpentine stone, each piece reflecting the natural beauty of the material and the artistry of its maker.

🪨 Crafted from Serpentine Stone

• Sourced from the ancient hills of Zimbabwe, serpentine is known for its rich texture, subtle colour variations, and spiritual grounding properties.
• Each sculpture is carved from a single piece of stone, then polished by hand to reveal its natural grain and gentle sheen.
• The stone’s durability ensures this piece will last for generations, becoming a cherished heirloom.

✋ Handmade by Shona Artisans

• The Shona people are globally celebrated for their expressive stone carvings—an art form that blends ancestral tradition with modern creativity.
• Your purchase supports fair trade practices and helps sustain artisan communities in Zimbabwe.
• Includes a storycard detailing the cultural significance and the artisan journey behind the sculpture.

🎁 Uses & Benefits

• Ideal for display in homes, offices, meditation spaces, or galleries.
• Encourages emotional grounding and mindfulness—perfect for therapists, educators, or spiritual practitioners.
• Makes a thoughtful gift for birthdays, anniversaries, or moments of transition and renewal.
• Pairs beautifully with other Shona sculptures or African artisan pieces for a curated collection.

This sculpture isn’t just art—it’s a story carved in stone, a celebration of love, and a tribute to the hands that shaped it. 

🪨 Shona
Stone Carving: Zimbabwe’s Living Art Form

The Shona people of Zimbabwe are world-renowned for their expressive stone
sculptures—an art movement that blends ancestral tradition with modern
creativity. Each piece is hand-carved from native stone and often reflects
themes of family, spirituality, and nature.

⛏️ 1.
Sourcing the Stone

• Sculptors
  mine serpentine, springstone, opal stone, and other local varieties
  from open-cast pits.
• Stones
  are chosen for their color, texture, and hardness, often based on
  the artist’s vision.

✏️ 2.
Sketching and Roughing Out

• Artists
  sketch the design directly onto the stone using charcoal.
• Using chisels,
  hammers, and punch tools, they strip away excess rock to reveal the
  basic form.

🪚 3.
Refining the Shape

• The
  sculpture is shaped with files, rasps, and grinders—or just hand
  tools when electricity isn’t available.

Fine details are added gradually, often
inspired by dreams, family stories, or spiritual beliefs

🧽 4. Sanding
and Smoothing

• Wet
  sanding with progressively finer sandpaper brings out the stone’s
  natural luster.
• This
  step is labor-intensive and may be shared among apprentices or family
  members.

🔥 5.
Polishing with Wax

• The
  sculpture is heated over fire or with a blowtorch to open the
  stone’s pores.
• Layers
  of clear wax are applied and buffed as the stone cools, creating a
  rich, glossy finish.

Shona carving isn’t just technique—it’s
storytelling in stone. Artists like Dominic Benhura and Colleen Madamombe have
elevated the form to global acclaim.

Caution – stone is fragile. It can be damaged if not handled
with care.

The stone is 100% natural so it will last generations if
handled with care.

The wax coating can be affected by UV rays from the sun …
should a piece become dull looking or get a scratch, you can let it warm in the
sun and apply a clear ‘carnauba wax’ or clear shoe polish. After applying, let
cool and buff with clean, soft terry cloth to renew the polished finish.

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