Snug as a Bug

In creating the piece, I wanted to capture feminine resilience and the empowered independent woman. Snug as a Bug aims to capture how snug the independent woman is. Her assertive turn to the viewer shatters the oppressive male gaze and re-establishes the power dynamics from being the object, to the holder of the gaze. The sketch employs charcoal, a medium producing very light or intense black lines, which while easily removable are vulnerable to leaving stains on paper. My choice of charcoal was motivated by the desire to represent a tension between opposing forces – perceived meekness and strength, and destructibility and lasting impression. The abstract lines represent her strong auric energy, further emphasising her dominance over the viewer and the page.