Tommy was born in 1948 at McDonald Down Station, Utopia, son of Jacob Jones and Dolly Kemarre. Tommy comes from a tradition of family painters, with his brothers Lenny, John and Freddie, and his sister Lily Sandover also being artists.

The main story painted by Tommy, from his father's country, is Caterpillar Dreaming. He describes it as 'black, green and grey. Looks like witchetty grub'.