ELEVEN artists have been selected to paint 10 six-foot hares ahead of their appearance in North Berwick this summer.

Leuchie House respite centre, based just outside the town, is gearing up and working hard to launch The Big Hare Trail on July 10, which is being held in celebration of its 10-year anniversary as an independent charity.

The 10 giant hares will be placed around North Berwick for 10 weeks in a free family-friendly trail.

More than 100 entries were submitted to the public art event.

And now all of the artists who will prime, paint, adorn and embellish the 10 hare sculptures have been selected.

Each of the fibreglass sculptures has been sponsored by a business and will be individually decorated in a unique style by the selected artists.

Each artist has received a £900 commission and the opportunity to work alongside a commercial sponsor.

Hares were chosen as one of the most popular and high-profile animals native to East Lothian.

Already, artist Emily Hogarth has been announced as an ambassador for the trail.

She is being joined by Julia Zeller-Jacques, who runs North Berwick High Street shop Rock & Bird; Rachel Marshall of Bonzo Art, whose work can be found in WhyNot? in the town; Lorraine Miller, who owns Between the Woods and Sea, a North-Berwick based handmade ceramic and wire sculptures business; award-winning North Berwick-based artist Georgina Bown; Catherine Rayner, an award-winning author and illustrator who moved from Yorkshire to Edinburgh; Chris Rutterford, one of Scotland’s top mural artists, based in Edinburgh; Chris’s partner Lubi Lykan; Rosie Watson, a Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design graduate; illustration graduate Abbie Herriot; and local artist Ali Blevins.

Lana Bambridge, head of fundraising at Leuchie House, said that the charity’s team and sponsors had their work cut out picking the final designs.

She said: “We were absolutely delighted with the response to our callout to artists.

“The calibre of artists was very high, with design entries from all over the UK, but it made the selection process much harder.

“Many artists chose an East Lothian-based theme, while others gave due consideration to the work and cause of the charity.

“What made the designs more impressive were the compelling stories behind the artists’ inspiration. In the end, we have managed to find a balance of styles, themes and unique characteristics. We are keen to showcase the artistic culture that embodies East Lothian and are delighted to have so many local artists represented.”

All of the hares are currently in production at a lodge-turned-artists’ hub at spa and health club Whitekirk Hill, where they will complete their work.

Families are being encouraged to pop along for a sneak peak of the artists at work, with just a matter of weeks to bring their designs to life before they are transported to their designated locations.

In a fun addition, there are even ‘peep holes’ for visitors to utilise!

Mark Bevan, Leuchie House CEO, said the campaign had created a “real buzz”.

He added: “We wanted to celebrate Leuchie’s 10th anniversary in a way that could involve and benefit the community as a whole, by providing a free family-friendly event to inspire young minds and showcase East Lothian’s vibrant culture.”

Each sculpture will eventually be auctioned to raise funds for Leuchie House.