Arinze Ato was born in Lagos, Nigeria on September 23, 1969.  He had before his final commitment to a career in visual arts, tried to be a singer, an actor and a writer.  Ato trained at Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State where he obtained OND under the tutelage of Chike Ebebe, the ceramist and potter of AKA Circle of Exhibiting Artists.
 
He obtained a HND (sculpture) from Yaba College of Technology in 1991.  A full time potter and sculptor with special interest in portrait busts and statues, he took part in CPAN Pottery Exhibition and Museum Festival Exhibition among several other group exhibitions.  Ato believes that art is a religion and hopes to become a guru.