This large portrait with its nod to origin myths hurls us into a closeup view of the nexus between us and the external world.

A woman shorn of garments is bitten by a snake from an unseen vantage point. Her forehead corrugates as the open jawed serpent grasps - mirrored by her own gasp. The limbs are unseen but there are no signs of resistance. Her eyes are closed yielding to the moment. The procedure commences.

The animal is meticulously rendered with its sequined green scales reminiscent of a bejewelled oriental dagger. The woman's tumescent smoothly painted skin is dramatically illuminated. Flushed pink in places, venous in others. The green is also picked up in the partially shadowed marbled background complemented by muted yellows and reds.

This emotionally ambiguous scene speaks of mystery - a third 'eye' on the figure forming to welcome transformative knowledge flowing into and through the body.

... for our flesh
Surrounds us with its own decisions -
And yet spend all our life on imprecisions,
That when we start to die
Have no idea why.

Ignorance - Philip Larkin