Hi, I’m Tinashe Wertz Chidarikire. At the age of one, I moved from Harare, Zimbabwe to Santa Cruz, California. I was destined to be a citizen of the world. My connection to Zimbabwe grew through trips to visit my family in Harare and at my father’s contemporary art gallery which showcased Zimbabwean Shona Stone Sculpture. The Serpentine and Spring Stone sculptures felt familiar despite having traveled over 8,000 miles and weighing hundreds to thousands of pounds. My appreciation of where I come from will always be intricately tied to memories of my grandparent’s lush garden, wildlife parks, the grand waterfalls of Mosi-oa-Tunya (Victoria Falls), and the loving stories of family and the natural world depicted in stone by Zimbabwean artists.

Through my photographs and films, I document moments from the artist’s journey—the thoughts, the process, and the personal transformation—the amalgam of new ideas that occur while making art. I am interested in exploring how we remember our stories, who tells our stories, and the many ways in which beauty delivers hope. I have created TINASHE ARTS to amplify artist perspectives and stories so that we can learn from each other’s creative process.

I’ve always been drawn to stories that illuminate our intrinsic connection with nature. My brand PETAL ARCHIVES, is inspired by the bounty and resilience of my favorite natural environments. The floral portraiture and knitwear collection are a celebration of thriving ecosystems and are a reminder of what we hold dear.