Sponsored trompe L'oeil refurbishment

Zoo to return to Knaresborough!

A much-loved Knaresborough landmark will soon be back opposite the bus station. The ‘Zoo’ in question is one of Knaresborough’s Trompe L’oeil paintings originally painted by Julie Cope, but presently receiving some tender loving restoration work from local freelance artist Helen Salmons. Depicting a Zebra and a Giraffe who have now been joined by a Chimpanzee, a Snake and an Cockatoo as well as some flowers in bloom, the paintings refer to the real Knaresborough Zoo that once occupied the site that now houses Henshaw’s Arts and Crafts centre at Bond End.

Knaresborough’s Georgian buildings had blocked out windows to avoid the 18^th century window tax. In place of these, panels of Trompe L’oeil paintings illustrate the History of Knaresborough and are looked after by Renaissance Knaresborough and FEVA and many are now showing signs of wear having been out in all weathers for several years. Julie Cope, who painted the original Zoo, now lives in Whitby but nominated Helen Salmon to carry out the restoration. Helen juggles her time as an artist and a clinical support worker at Harrogate Hospital with being a mother of two. Other paintings on the repair list include ‘Artist in Residence’ normally to be found in Castlegate and Beryl Burton from the High Street near Bond End. The work is being carried out thanks to a grant from Knaresborough Rotary’s Alan Waugh Trust. In his will former teacher Alan stated that he hoped the money would be used for improvement of the town, restoration of public buildings exterior décor, town regeneration & education. The restoration of the paintings is a perfect fit to those criteria.