Thomas Greenaway

Stone marquetry maker

®Mark Williamson

©Thomas Greenaway

A florentine art

Thomas masters the art of pietra dura
He is the only one to practise it in the UK
He wishes to share this rare knowledge

As a student, Thomas Greenaway travelled to Italy and discovered the art of pietra dura, a traditional 16th century technique using coloured stones to create images; it is sometimes referred to as Florentine mosaic. Following this discovery, he later went back to Italy to train with masters by joining two family run studios as an apprentice, an experience he feels honoured to have lived. He is now one of the very few craftspeople to master pietra dura in the United Kingdom and the only one to produce it. From games tables to boxes and wall panels, his work is as varied as it is recognised for its fine craftsmanship. In 2015, his excellence was confirmed when he was asked to create the Coat of Arms for Richard III’s tombstone in Leicester Cathedral.

Interview

®Mark Williamson

©Thomas Greenaway

How do you feel about the uniqueness of your art?: I am honoured to be able to bring this skill and knowledge to the UK, and to have been embraced by the pietra dura community in Florence, respected by masters who gave me the foundations to set up my workshop and build my reputation.
What do you love about pietra dura?: I am always in awe by the vast array of beautiful minerals we have on this earth. Each time I slice into a newly discovered block of stone, it is a thrilling moment to discover the colour and texture inside, and visualise what artwork you can create.
What is a memorable moment of your career?: I think my most memorable moment was being commissioned to make Richard III’s coat of arms. It was a huge honour to work on a King’s tomb, I always wanted to do coat of arms in pietra dura since the defined colours lend themselves so well to the art form.
Could your craft be considered in danger?: I do think there is danger of this craft being lost. Sadly, there are so few in the world left who have the skills and knowledge to do this work, but my hope and wish is that I can at least pass on my knowledge to others to continue this fascinating craft.

Thomas Greenaway is a master artisan: he began his career in 2006 and he started teaching in 2018