Bit of a washer and, it follows, silver ring in artwork (8)
I believe the answer is:
agitator
'bit of a washer' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'it follows silver ring in artwork' is the wordplay.
'follows' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'silver' becomes 'Ag' (Ag is the chemical symbol for silver).
'ring' becomes 'o' (letter resembling a ring).
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'artwork' becomes 'atr' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'o' going inside 'atr' is 'ator'.
'it' after 'ag' is 'agit'.
'agit'+'ator'='AGITATOR'
'and' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for agitator that I've seen before include "A mover and shaker - or troublemaker" , "Political troublemaker" , "One fomenting trouble" , "Organiser" , "revolutionary" .)