Tolly has a degree in Textiles and is also a serious photographer. Both of these elements are clear within her Glasswork. Her enthusiasm for the natural world stems from her family background of nature-orientated passions whilst her wider appreciation cores from extensive foreign travel, and taking part in wildlife research projects abroad.

Having worked under some of the most influential and eminent glass artists in Sweden and the U.S, this has fuelled Tolly's delight in the material itself. By using a combination of techniques she bases her work around the qualities in glass she appreciates the most - its vulnerability but also its solidity.

The tiny, pate-de-verre ‘Whimsicals' which are a fun, contemporary take on the ancient little mini glass objects found in museums are housed in a contemporary box frame.