A village is taking a public art project to heart – by sponsoring or decorating half a dozen lions.

People in Wellow are at the forefront of the Lions of Bath 2010 project, which will see life-size models of the animals placed around the city this summer.

Two lions are being painted by artist Emma Rose whose Pride of Bath and Zan-Zan sculptures have been sponsored by property agent Crisp Cowley and hair salon Artizan respectively.

These lions are real Wellow creations, being commissioned by villagers Charles Everitt, a director of Crisp Cowley, and Zac Fennell of Artizan.

Another local resident, Catherine Beale, whose work is currently on show at the Fat Fowl Gallery in Bradford on Avon, is decorating Bullion for sponsor Principal Investment Management.

Meanwhile, Wellow-based jeweller-turned-sculptor Richard Twose has created King of the Wylde for Bath jewellery designer, Nicholas Wylde.

Two more of the 100 lions have been sponsored by Wellow residents.

Gordon Lewis of oak building specialist firm Aecern, which is based in the village, has sponsored Quercus, which is being decorated by Weston artist, Lisa Wooding.

Solicitor Simon Veysey's law firm Mogers has sponsored Advocat, which is being painted by Helen Nock from Weston-super-Mare and will be displayed on the steps of the company's offices in Queen Square.

Wellow, the former home of pop artist Sir Peter Blake, also embraced the King Bladud's Pigs contemporary art project with similar enthusiasm in 2008.

Then, three pig sculptures were displayed in the village, including Sir Peter's masterpiece which sold at auction for £21,000.

The first of the sculptures will be placed on the streets of Bath next Thursday, with all 100 in situ by the end of June.

They will stay on display until September, after which they will be auctioned for three charities – Off the Record, the Quartet Community Foundation and the Mayor of Bath's Relief Fund – as well as providing a legacy fund for future public art projects in the city.

Meanwhile three other lions have been unveiled in the last week.

Children at Monkton Combe Pre-Prep School had a sneak preview of two which have been decorated by artists in residence Bhari and James Mark Long.

Vermilion and Louie are sponsored by property firm Savills and developer The Trevor Osborne Property Group respectively.

Head teacher Kathryn Morrell led a question and answer session in an assembly, with the couple explaining how long the process had taken, the materials they had used and the inspirations they had drawn on.

Staff at Bath engineering company Rotork were also shown the lion which the firm is sponsoring.

It asked city artist Jane Veveris Callan to create Roartork – with her starting point being a piece of equipment called a butterfly valve.

The firm designs and makes equipment to control the flow of liquids and gases through pipes.

Jane said: "The lion has a mane of pipes, where butterflies have settled, and from which flow different elements, depicting water, oil, and gas. I was inspired by the vision of these vast pipelines which carry services under oceans and across deserts, so the painting also has green plant growth to reflect the life-giving services and energy that these support, and is backed by leaves and fossils which represent the organic origins of the fuels."

Roartork will be placed next to the Thermae Bath Spa at the end of Bath Street.