A BODY painter who regularly works in Cirencester and a popular sculpture trail in Quenington have both been announced as “rockers” of the Cotswolds.

Rock the Cotswolds, a campaign celebrating all things cool and creative in the district, was launched last year to show people across the world that the Cotswolds is not just a sleepy and quiet town.

Each month the campaign, launched by Cirencester businessman Oli Christie, picks several “rockers” – whether they be businesses, individuals, or ideas – and announces them as being something great in the Cotswolds.

This month, Quenington-based sculpture trail Fresh Air was included in the list of rockers, as was Oxfordshire body artist Mona Turnbull who sometimes works in Cirencester.

Fresh Air is an outdoor art sculpture show hosted by art collectors Lucy and David Abel Smith. The show mixes traditionally modern and cutting-edge contemporary art in the sculpture trail, which grows in popularity year on year.

Body artist Mona Turnbull is originally from Bangkok and now lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and children. She recently stopped traffic in Cirencester by painting model Rebecca Harwood who then stood in the window of Wet Paint Gallery on London Road, for passers-by to see.

“I’m pleased, honoured and humbled to join the rockers who I have admired and respected,” said Mona. “My Cotswold journey was started at Art Couture 2014 in Painswick (ACP).

"Later on the year, I was invited to represent ACP at one of the Rock the Cotswolds events. That was the event where I met everyone.

"May we all continue to work together, nurture and support each other and help grow the unique image of the Cotswolds as a wholesome, exciting, dynamic, and a creative place to live and work.”