Art auction raises more than £10k for fountain

Louise Hepworth-Wood, left, from Improving Ilkley, with Joanne Tinker

A charity art auction has raised more than £10,000 towards the cost of a new fountain in Ilkley town centre.

A scale model, designed by local artist Juliet Gutch, is on display at the Tinker Gallery, where the auction took place.

Charity Improving Ilkley had invited local artists to donate pieces to be auctioned to help fund the project.

Louise Hepworth-Wood, from the charity, said it had "exceeded all expectations".

The fountain has been designed by Ilkley artist Juliet Gutch

Three pieces were sold for £1,500 and every other piece received bids when the auction ended on Saturday afternoon, Ms Hepworth-Wood said.

Since the model of the fountain has been on show, six people have commissioned copies, with £1,000 from each sale going to the charity.

Ms Hepworth-Wood added: "This now gives us a clear town mandate to move forward and finally instruct the fabrication of the fountain and the requisite engineering works.

"I'd like to thank all of artists for their generosity and Joanne Tinker, gallery owner, for allowing us to host this exhibition at no cost, for the three-week duration."

The fountain model is on show at the Tinker Gallery in the town

Those who bid over £250 will be invited to have their names displayed by the fountain at the top of Brook Street.

The artists who donated work include Nicky Dyson, Gill Gilroy, Joanne Tinker, Helen Brayshaw and Ian Smith.

The model was made from galvanised and etched steel, and was made by James Wilkinson, based near Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire.

Ms Gutch's design for the statue will use a gravity-fed system which will recycle water coming down the hill from Ilkley Moor.

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