This little Lino cut is an ode to one of the most important insects for human existence. The humble worker bee. Coming from manchester this is a common sight for us Mancs. It's incorporated into the city's crest. 

The worker bee was adopted as a motif for Manchester during the Industrial Revolution, at a time when Manchester was taking a leading role in new forms of mass production. 
Seven bees are included in the crest of the city's arms which were granted to the Borough of Manchester in 1842. 

The bee denotes Mancunians' hard work during this era and Manchester being a hive of activity in the 19th century. 
The best place to see the Bees are in the city's Town hall. The mosaic floor has a pattern of hundreds! 

A 2 colour reduction lino cut (cut from the same lino plate) , in a edition of 40. Vibrant yellow and Brown, hand printed on to 200 gsm Fabriano stock.