Artist of The River Watcher – Guardian of the Ouse and Foss

Ali is an environmental artist whose work is inspired by marine species and the shifting patterns in nature. With a strong foundation in illustration, her intricate hand-painted artworks have been featured in books and scientific publications. She brings this expertise to public and collaborative projects, exploring creative ways to connect art with nature and community. Passionate about engaging audiences, Ali enjoys working across diverse projects, creating visually compelling, thought-provoking work that encourages people to notice and reflect on the natural world around them.

Artist of The Merchant Keeper – Overseer of Shambles Market

Ishleen is a visual and interactive artist based in Yorkshire, recently graduated from the University of Leeds. Her practice focuses on illustration as a tool for storytelling, exploring emotional landscapes, everyday experiences, and the layered identities of places. She works across digital and traditional mediums, including wall-painting work, creating narrative-driven visuals that connect personal expression with wider cultural contexts. She often takes a place-based approach, observing how cities, monuments and public spaces hold memory, history, and lived experience. Ishleen likes to invite participants into her process, using conversations, shared stories, and feedback to shape and inform the work.

Artist of The Garden Guardian – Protector of growing things and ancient stone

Rue’s artwork shown on this sculpture is her original, abstract plant motifs - inspired by her fascination for nature, spirituality and artist Hilma af Klint. Rue is currently studying in her third year of Art & Design at York College and will be continuing her studies in costume design from September 2026 at University of Huddersfield.

Artist of The Warden of Wild Blooms – Keeper of York’s wild and wandering flowers

Gill Prendergast is a multidisciplinary artist, who creates bold, colourful textile art and quirky sculptures often inspired by the natural world and a love of colour. With a background in theatre prop making, Gill is accustomed to working on large scale projects and has painted for numerous sculpture trails around the UK.

Artist of The Keeper of Voices – Holding centuries of voices within the city  

the777paradox is a psychedelic visionary artist telling a story of spiritual awakening. Using characters to explore these themes, viewers are transported into new realities of vivid contrasting colour and energy, inspiring joy, hope, love and connection whilst shedding a light on universal truth.

Artist of The Watcher of the Night – Watching over York’s streets when darkness falls

Hannah is a freelance illustrator based in Wakefield. She loves drawing and creating fun characters to make people smile. Her background is in children’s book illustration, but she has also worked on wall murals, licensing designs, sculpture trails and window art. Her clients include Scholastic, Thortful and Cardly. Hannah is happiest when she’s drawing and is always excited by her next creative challenge. Over the last few years, she has had the pleasure of painting over 35+ sculptures for trails in the UK. When she’s not busy illustrating, Hannah enjoys baking and spending time with her lovely cat.

Artist of The Scholar’s Keeper – Keeper of study, scholarship, and discovery

Catya is an illustrator and muralist currently studying at York St John University. Inspiration for her illustrations come from Mexican folk art and Mexican American Chicano culture. Her work playfully blurs the boundaries between traditional and digital painting.

Artist of The Keeper of Coloured Light – Keeper of light held in ancient glass

Caitlin is a Hull based artist. She works in sculpture and installation and her practice is very studio driven. She often experiments with using various materials, found objects and colour. Caitlin has had an extraordinary experience working on sculpture trails within the last few years and would love to be part of more. Her previous work include Horsing Around in 2024 with North Lincolnshire Museums and A Mischief of Rats in 2025 in Hull.

Artist of The Gatekeeper – Guardian of York’s ancient gates, watching the city’s boundaries

Rachael and Phillippa are illustrators and twin sisters. They work together as an illustration collective. After graduating from the University of Derby with a First Class (Hons) degree in Illustration, they have gone on to create illustrations for children’s books, magazines and greetings cards. Some of their clients include Scholastic, Oxford University Press and HarperCollins. They have also painted over 60 sculptures for public art trails across the UK.

Artist of The City Guardian – Keepers of the city’s heart, watching over every corner 

York Against Cancer is a local charity supporting people affected by cancer. The Watchers sculpture was designed by users of the Leveson Centre, led by resident artist Sue Clayton, and celebrates resilience and community. Through symbolic imagery and colour, the piece reflects the strength, creativity, and compassion shown by those affected by cancer and the people who support them.

Artist of The Many Hands City Guardian – Keepers of the city’s heart, watching over every corner 

York and Scarborough Hospitals Charity is the official charity of York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. From the everyday to the transformational, the charity fund improvements to the hospital environments and services which are above and beyond NHS funding. With your help, the charity can make the hospital experience the best it can be for all who visit, stay and work there. It also supports the charity’s teams who deliver care in the community.

Production team behind the sculptures, and artist of The Watcher of York – The original stone guardian, keeping close to York Minster 

Norse Sky are a Yorkshire based themed set builders and prop makers. Their in-house design and production team creates high quality structures and components from their North Yorkshire studio, specialising in all aspects of set building, scenic construction, prop making and art department processes. Find out more about Norse Sky.