This piece delves into the interplay between empowerment, beauty, and mythology, using the golden palette as a symbol of divinity and self-worth. The figure, adorned in gold, reminds us of our inherent worth, with the symbolism of the teeth in her mythical tail protecting and guarding the essence of who she is from anyone wanting to attack her. I paint mermaids with teeth as a symbol of strength beneath the beauty, and how we all have a protective beast within that defends us. The mermaid/crocodile is also my interplay between the physical and the transcendent, which reflects the balance women often play.