Inspired by Greek mythology, my goal with this illustration was to reimagine the classic monster and highlight her beauty. According to the lore, she isn’t an entirely evil creature—her transformation into a gorgon is the true horror story. I wanted to depict the monster while revealing the beautiful woman she was before the gods abused her.

Building on a green and brown theme, I gave her fuchsia-colored snakes with silver eyes. Her curvy figure is adorned with a snake-themed two-piece and a funeral veil. The veil symbolizes her desire to protect those she admires from her petrifying gaze, while it is removed to confront the men who hunt her. I included broken pearls to represent the fragility of traditional femininity and her rejection of societal standards.