Noel Mwanza was born in Harare in 1964 into a family of sculptors; his brother, Jim Mwanza, is also a sculptor and they often work together. Noel became interested in all aspects of art at an early age, as did many of those who went on to become full-time artists during the goods times in Zimbabwe. In 1992, established carver Ernest Chiwaridzo, apprenticed him for a number of years until he became confident of his ability to start out on his own and develop numerous styles. His favorite stone to work with is fruit serpentine due to its various colors. Using this stone, Noel says he can create a similar sculptures, but none will ever be the same due to the changing colors. Noel lives with his wife and sons just on the outskirts of Harare in a house he managed to buy through the proceeds of selling his art. When he speaks about his practice, he says art should flow from the heart and that inspiration can also come from watching people interact with each other.