Medusa II is from a series which grew out of my fascination with Medusa not simply as a mythological character, but as an image whose meaning has been transformed repeatedly over thousands of years.

In the ancient world, the face of Medusa appeared everywhere—from temples and shields to armor, coins, architecture, and ordinary objects, far before the classic Olympian gods. Her image is believed to have been apotropaic; a symbol of protection, divine power and the ability to ward off evil. Over time the story surrounding her changed; Medusa has been portrayed as monster, seductress, victim and more recently, as a symbol of survival and defiance, and once again, of power.

Part of what makes this work unique is the decision to keep her eyes downcast rather than staring outward, as the eyes of Medusa always have. I wanted this work to evoke a different feeling, not of her role in any moment or myth, but of something deeper. The circular composition encloses Medusa within the movement of the serpents while her face remains still and sculptural at its center. The contrast between that calm human presence and the dense, dense writhing serpents provide the central tensions of the composition.

The drawing measures 42 by 42 inches and was completed over several months. Working at that scale allowed me to develop the snakes and textures with detail and, more importantly, to make this work evoke the power that Medusa deserves.