Does my heart good...

[MedusasOwl]

I got the best compliment as an artist ever today, and I even got a little watery-eyed over it. I had to share.

"It is amazing how you turned snakes - hated and feared by many - into such beautiful, admirable creatures. I think you opened the whole new way to look ot snakes."

Of course, I haven't turned snakes into beautiful admirable creatures they always have been, but part of my goal in doing the Medusa/Nagas using different snake species has been not just to cater to snake fanciers like myself but to educate through fantasy too. I post my stuff in fantasy oriented galleries etc to deliberately expose it to people who don't know a blood python from a corn snake. People who think snakes are scary, yucky, and ugly. I want to show them how beautiful and diverse these animals are. And that it seems to be working makes my heart just about explode with happiness.

It's my way of being a wilderness warrior. Medusa is traditionally shown as a hideous monster, but how could she be? Snakes are beautiful! So I try to portray her as beautiful. And if you research the story, she and her sisters were really minding their own buisness and trying to be away from human civilization. Just like real snakes do. And murdered not because she hurt anybody, but because people were afraid and it would make Perseus look like a big man. Medusa's a metaphor in so many ways for so many issues.

Since I started on this series, I've had a fair number of people ask me about the different snakes and I always include the species name alongside the pieces. People telling me that they never saw snakes as beautiful before. They tell me the love shows through. It makes me just want to make more and more of them!

This is what I want to do with my life. Help people see that snakes are beautiful and worthy of love and admiration. If I can do that, I'll die a happy woman.

[Shelby]

That's excellent Sheree.. it feels good whenever we are able to show someone the beauty of snakes when they wouldn't normally appreciate it.

I look forward to seeing your next medusa.

[recycling goddess]

i'm so happy for you!!! it's great to be wilderness warrior in whatever way possible

[JLC]

That's so wonderful, Sheree!! You have an amazing gift and I love that you are able to use it to help people learn to appreciate these wonderful animals!

[MedusasOwl]

Thank you, ladies! Just goes to show that there's lots of ways to be a wilderness warrior!