Artwork description:

At low tide on a stormy day in London, people rummage around in the muddy shores of the River Thames. Dominating the scene is the formidable Tower Bridge. These ‘mudlarkers’ are searching for scraps and broken bits of history - rummaging in the muddy shore of the river. Who knows what treasures will be discovered.

Originally a mudlark was someone who scavenged in river mud for items of value, a term used especially to describe those who scavenged this way in London during the late 18th and 19th centuries. The practice of searching the banks of rivers for items continues in the modern era, with newer technology such as metal detectors sometimes being employed to search for metal valuables that may have washed ashore.

‘Mudlarking’ is an etching and aquatint made on a copper plate. It is printed on Somerset Velvet, an off white heavyweight 300 gsm handmade paper from St Cuthbert's Mill in Somerset. The print is in a limited edition of 75 and signed, numbered and dated in pencil by the artist. The image size is 15 x 20 cm on a paper size is 27 x 32 cm.

Materials used:

etching on copper plate printed on a heavy weight hand made paper

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