The 63rd annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show kicked off at the Tucson Convention Center on Friday. This year's theme: Mineral Treasures of the Midwest. Many different displays on site, showing off precious stones, gems, minerals, and fossils.
Also? Photographs of scenes from around the world -- well, kind of.
Michael Woodward takes photos of stones, fossils and gems, then scales them up in size -- sometimes a hundred times larger than the original size.
"What I sell is art from geology," Woodward said. "And to me, the original stones are the art. But what I make sometimes amplifies it, and makes it amazing art."
He explained they often look like beautiful landscapes of nature, create abstract pieces, like spiral staircases and more. Woodward has photographed stones that are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as basic and common ones. He says the beauty of his form of art -- you never know what you'll get to see once you scale it way up.
"I find interesting stones like a piece of stone like this one. It might be a piece of concrete or asphalt, but when you blow it up, it might be something else," he said. "I don't really know sometimes, and sometimes I just buy it on a whim and just see what happens."
He says one of the most special things about his art: everybody sees something different when they look at it.
The show runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and until 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free for kids 14 and under. and $13 for everyone older. Click here for a coupon for $2 off admission to the show!
