Why I Chose Medusa as My Logo

When it came time to choose a logo for my art, I knew I didn’t want something comfortable or safe. I wanted something that carried weight—something that spoke to survival, transformation, and the power of being seen. That’s why I chose Medusa.

Not the monster from pop culture. Not the villain with snakes for hair meant to be feared or destroyed. I chose Ovid’s Medusa—the woman who was once a priestess, punished not for doing wrong but for what was done to her.

In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Medusa is not born monstrous. She is transformed by the gods after being violated in Athena’s temple. Her hair, once beautiful, becomes serpents. Her gaze, once soft, turns others to stone. She becomes feared not because she is cruel—but because she has power. Because she survived.

That version of Medusa—wounded, changed, still standing—has resonated with many who have had a similar experience. She is not just a figure of myth, but a symbol of resilience. Of rage turned into strength. Of beauty that refuses to conform.

She represents the layers of human experience, the quiet and loud ways we survive, and how transformation often begins in pain. Choosing Medusa as my logo felt inevitable. She is a reflection of what happens when society chooses punishment over protection, silence over truth. She represents the survivor—misunderstood, vilified, and ultimately powerful.

Alongside the logo, I chose the phrase: “Dare to Look.”

To me, it’s more than a call to attention. It’s a challenge.

Dare to look at what most people turn away from—the realities of sexual violence, assault, and human trafficking. Dare to see what survivors endure, not just in the moment of trauma, but in every moment after. Dare to feel discomfort instead of choosing the safety of distance and inaction.

This logo is more than a mark. It’s a mirror. A symbol. A reminder that looking away is a choice, and so is daring to look closer.