George Nene was one of Zimbabwe's best-known artists. George was educated at Kana Mission and held religious convictions within his work and throughout his career as a painter.

 

His earliest training in art was unconventional in that he began sketching under the tutelage of South African artist 'Thami'; Thamsanga Mnyele, while serving a prison sentence for armed robbery in Gaborone, Botswana. During that time, he was also a Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) guerrilla. Nonetheless, his art became well known enough that he exhibited at the National Museum as part of a two-man show, while completing his eight-year sentence. 

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Much of George Nene's art was inspired by traditional daily life and by religious themes and was done in either acrylic or watercolour.