Tom Butterworth Is a Big Fan of Aussie Rock. He Makes It Into Stunning Vases and Stools

A broken rock on a construction site was enough to inspire Tom Butterworth to change careers from carpenter to sculptor.

Butterworth, now owner and maker at Onestone, was working as a carpenter when a piece of sandstone broke open in front of him about two and a half years ago.

He says he fell in love with the “true beauty” inside: a combination of minerals and veining, evocative of the grandeur of 19th-century Australian civic architecture as well as timeless natural landscapes.

Butterworth, based on Sydney’s northern beaches, put down his carpentry tools soon after. Now he creates striking sandstone sculptures that double as functional furniture, such as vessels, stools and tables.

“I saw all the [stone’s] veins … and I was like ‘Whoa, I’ve never seen it like this before’,” Butterworth tells Broadsheet.

“From there I just looked into ways to use recycled sandstone … I wanted to present something that was functional, to make sure [the sandstone] doesn’t go to waste or end up crushed.”

His journey from carpentry to full-time sculpting started by getting in his mother’s good books.

“I started making candle holders from the piece of sandstone that broke that day,” Butterworth says. “I made one for Mum and she really enjoyed it, and at the time I didn’t think much of it — I made the candle holder as a bit of fun.

“But then I started making some vases and lamps and other things … it was a lot of trial and error.”

Butterworth often sources sandstone from job sites, and has also been known to get his hands on a slab through word of mouth, to prevent it being destroyed.

He says the story of a single piece of sandstone “can be dated back 20 million years”, so there’s a lot of history between the raw slabs and the worked stones that feature in buildings across the country.

Butterworth describes each lump of sandstone he finds as “majestic”. Once he’s secured a piece, he gets on the tools to make his next masterpiece. From the initial cut right down to sealing the sculpture, the process takes about eight days from start to finish.

“The finished product ends up suiting a vibe where the decorator is trying to inject a bit of the exterior into the interior,” Butterworth says.

“So they are injecting the Australian landscape into their homes and, even though they are sitting indoors, they will still get that feeling of nature and just how beautiful Australia is. I think that is very special.”

Onestone pieces can be purchased through two NSW-based galleries – Hake House of Art and Composition by Office Elias – as well as online.

Butterworth says the journey to having his work on display in an art gallery “has been a lot”, but he’s been supported along the way.

“Just trust in the universe, have faith and do what you love – that is the recipe for success.”

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