Medusa Before Medusa

This painting is inspired by the often untold story of Medusa. Medusa’s story starts with her as an attractive young woman, with beautiful ringlets of hair. So alluring is her beauty, that while she was praying at the temple of Athena, she catches the eye of the sea god Poseidon, who rapes her (or seduces her, depending on who is telling the story). Athena, who is so enraged at her temple being defiled, takes out her revenge on Medusa by taking away Medusa’s most prized feature: her hair. This is reminiscent of Rapunzel who is punished for sleeping with a prince by having her hair cut off.

Athena makes Medusa unappealing to men by turning her hair into writhing snakes. If that isn’t enough, Athena ensures Medusa will forever remain alone by gifting her with a gaze that turns others to stone. Medusa, not wanting to hurt anyone, retreats to a dark cave. This painting shows Medusa both before and after her transformation. In this sliding doors moment she is simultaneously remembering who she used to be, whilst seeing herself in the future. In both versions she remains an innocent, thoughtful person, who is often misrepresented as a dangerous monster.

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I'm a Melbourne artist making art about people, identity and relationships. I draw on my experience as a woman and a mother, and as a result, most of my work is about womanhood. I am a passionate advocate of women’s issues and gender equality.

I have an interest in patterns and lines and include them in nearly all my work. My attraction to patterns comes from my love of order (I'm also an accountant), but I mostly like the flat, decorative element it adds. Sometimes the material inspires the subject, but more often than not, I seek out a particular look, colour or pattern to go with the concept I have in mind. Including patterns is a way of adding another dimension to the work.

In 2020, I won the Unearthed Prize by Art to Art gallery in Balwyn. I've been exhibiting since 2012, when I held my first solo show. Prizes for which I have been shortlisted include the 2025 Omnia Prize, 2019 Footscray Art Prize, the 2018 Contemporary Art Prize, the 2016 Hornsby Prize, the 2016 She competition, the Lethbridge 10000 Small-Scale Art Prize, the 2013 Agendo Award and the 2011 Metro Award.  Early in my career, I won the 2013 Yen magazine Female Artist award and won 2 prizes at the Albert Park College Art Show. My artwork is in private collections worldwide and is part of the Standard Chartered Bank art collection, Albert Park College public collection, and the Image Mundi project.