TALL order for artist Sarah Mitch as she grapples with her latest commission for Sale’s summer outdoor Art Zoo.

The project, spearheaded by community group Two by Two, is celebrating Chester Zoo founder George Mottershead’s connection to Sale, where he lived for 30 years, with a vibrant display of colourfully decorated life size animal sculptures.

Sale-based Sarah was commissioned to decorate the 12-foot giraffe that has been adopted by The Square Shopping Centre.

It is one of around 35 zoo animals, ranging from baby hippos, rhinos and penguins to pelicans, alligators, and chimpanzees, that will be placed around the town for the duration of the eight-week exhibition.

Sarah has worked with her own photographic images of Sale, as well as a selection of historic images of the town sourced from local archives.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be involved in such an exciting and ambitious community based project,” said Sarah.

“My focus in my pictures is all about what we miss in the everyday, the colour, texture and light. It’s a big challenge as I am working with a three dimensional figure and usually my canvases are hung on a wall.”

The event is being supported by a number of businesses throughout Sale. VAO Waterside restaurant, Serendipitea, Bean and Brush Café, One Integrated Communications Agency, Jets Estate Agents, Skipton Building Society, Traders Outlet Trafford CIL, St Paul’s Toddler Group and Life Tots at the Life Centre, and Clean Start have each adopted an animal.

Zoe Taylor, co-founder of Two by Two said “We’ve had over 5,000 local school children decorating the animal sculptures, we’ve led intergenerational workshops, we’ve had local artists, families and countless volunteers helping us pull everything together. Sale will be able to take great pride in this fantastic event.”

Two by Two also received funding from Equity Housing, Thrive Trafford and Sale Community Panels.

The Sale Art Zoo will be a free activity for families and visitors over the summer holidays with trail maps taking people on a safari around the town animal spotting.

Tomorrow, Thursday May 26, Sarah will be found with her 12ft leggy subject in the heart of the town centre for a live decorating event in public view at The Square Shopping Centre.