João Donato was born in Maputo in 1953. His career in the ceramic arts began in 2002 in Brasilia, where he was mentored by the master ceramist CecySato.

In 2005, Donato moved to London with the aim of studying at City and Islington College under the tutelage of ceramist Daphne Carnegy. After completing the course, he remained in the British capital and worked as a ceramics technician at the University until 2011.

He currently lives in Maputo and has held exhibitions throughout Mozambique, UK, Sweden, Portugal and Brazil.