Award-winning artist Linde Kriel was born in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng, South Africa, but while growing up moved around all over South Africa. In 2018 he matriculated at Stellenberg High School in Durbanville. After high school he moved to Stellenbosch to study theology at the University of Stellenbosch. After a year he decided to pursue his true passion which is art. He moved to Bloemfontein in 2020 where he started studying BA Fine Arts at the University of the Free State. Currently he is a second year student.

Linde has always had a passion for art and started traditional training when he was in the third grade with high school students. Linde is a multimedia artist that wants to specialize in printmaking mediums. Outside of his studies he likes to paint at a local coffee shop where he sells his work. He works with themes like mental health, gender identity, sexuality and religion. He more recently uses his work as a tool to investigate social issues that he believes aren’t talked about enough in society.

In 2022 he entered an artwork into the Sasol New Signature art  competition. This was his first time entering any competition. He was one of the seven winners with a merit award. His work was exhibited alongside the other finalist in the Pretoria Art Museum. Currently he is working on creating a series of paintings that he is planning on showing at an informal solo exhibition at Iewers Nice in Bloemfontein.