Medusa is known as a hideous looking Gorgon from Greek Mythology. Her name comes from the Greek Medusa, which means Guardian or Protectess. She was beheaded by Perseus and is Mother of Pegasus and Chrysaor. Her story has fascinated me since I was a kid; because to me her story did not add up. Just why would an evil being be called an guardian and how could be an evil being be mother of so beautiful and amazing creatures as Pegasus, the winged horse and Chrysaor, the golden, sword-wielding giant? Indeed there are other stories. In a Roman version, Medusa was a maiden, perhaps a priestess in the temple of Athena [Minerva] who set man and gods a fire with her unusual beauty. Athena was not pleased that one of her servants got more attention than herself; but when Poseidon, the Lord of the Sea caught Medusa and raped her in Athenas temple; the goddess got furious. Of course Medusa got the blame; not Perseus. Athena coursed Medusa and transformed her hair to serpents, making her so hideous, that everyone who looked directly at her got transformed to stone.

The picture is a work in process, which I would like to transfer to canvas. The coloring is a bit artificial; but due to the care for a seriously ill loved one, I was not able to get the materials I wanted. I used school pencils #2, school drawing paper and a set of eight [no good] color pencils.
The snakes are not of a earthen species; but mythological creatures. Nevertheless, certain similarities with living species are not coincidental.