The jeweller & silversmith, Tony Thomson, developed his passion for stones after seeing them being polished in a gem shop; their power to inspire hasn't faded. His early work caught the eye of the sculptor, Dame Elizabeth Frink, who generously sponsored his first collection. Shown alongside her sculptures the exhibition was a sell-out success! Tony usually begins a piece by selecting some stones - maybe semi-precious, a fossil or opal, piece of slate, pearls, a diamond or bits of sea glass; these are his starting point and help shape how something develops. Pieces vary from the delicate to the unusual to the striking. When making pieces, Tony uses different silver and gold working techniques including cuttlefish casting, fabrication, stone cutting and setting. Tony's workshop & an exhibition of his work will be at Venue 440. And because of the initial encouragement which Tony received, he's now a generous teacher to those wishing to develop jewellery making skills, sharing both his workshop, his knowledge and his passion for stones.