AN artwork depicting dozens of Wee County key workers could go on display next year in Alloa as part of an exhibition.

Clacks artist Karen Strang, who has been slowly returning to her Marcelle House studio in Alloa, is currently working on the large canvass painting, having previously immortalised more than 55 key workers in individual portraits.

As previously reported, the portraits were collated in a book in the latter half of 2020, copies are still on sale and proceeds are set to go to good causes around the area.

Bearing witness to the coronavirus pandemic, Karen decided to paint portraits of key workers from the area free of charge as a way of paying tribute.

The works have been on display in the Wee County and at Forth Valley Royal Hospital as well.

The artist, well-known for her works exploring the Scottish Witchcraft Trials, has been working on the larger painting to feature all key workers she created portrays of during the lockdown months.

Her plans are to make it the centrepiece in an exhibition next year, serving as a document of the pandemic in Clackmannanshire.

Karen told the Advertiser: "I didn't realise how time consuming it is to do 55 plus portraits on one large canvass, I've never attempted anything like it in my life.

"It is a huge challenge and it will take several weeks if not months for me to be happy with it.

"It is ongoing and it is evolving, there will be lots of different bits of hidden little secret detail put into the painting at the end.

"I'm hoping, when it's complete, people can read a lot of little extras into the painting."

A work in progress, the painting is titled Look Aboot Ye and more will be revealed when it goes on display, with hopes an exhibition can be organised next year with everyone in attendance.

As Karen's key worker project progressed last year, she had hoped it would be possible to organise a public display and event by the end of 2020.

That was not to be with the onset of a second wave.

The display and a public event were to help push sales of the portraits book – which is raising funds for Ochils Mountain Rescue Team, Home-Start Clackmannanshire and Strathcarron Hospice.

With copies left to sell, Karen is still collecting money for charity and hopes that an exhibition next year will be possible with a larger public event to sell all remaining books.

The artist said: "Although the galleries are starting to re-open, it's very restricted and limited for visitors.

"If you go to the trouble of organising all the portraits and a group portrait, you want everybody to be able to come along, bring their friends and their family, and make it into a celebration."

Copies of Karen's key worker portrait book are available at outlets in the Wee County, such as the library or the Wee Gallery, or visit heatheranndowd.shop to order it from Clacks designer and publisher Heather Ann Dowd.