In Alison Elizabeth Taylor’s "Sawdust and Glitter," the artist recasts the centuries-old convention of the reclining nude by emphasizing the female gaze. The work features a man sunbathing naked on the beach. He props himself up on his bronze forearms to smoke, the embers of his cigarette glowing brightly. Beside him, a six-pack of beer and the leaves of a pineapple peak out of a woven tote bag, indicating a tropical vacation. Like the adornments in Manet’s Olympia, the accessories here emphasize the figure’s otherwise nude body. His form is bare except for a crumpled white shirt used as a makeshift pillow, and a pair of dark sunglasses. His shades obscure the direction of his gaze, enabling the viewer to take in the beauty of his body without a reciprocal look.

The title of the work—"Sawdust and Glitter"—refers to an innovation in Taylor’s ongoing exploration of her medium of marquetry hybrid. Continuing to push the boundaries of her medium, Taylor has repurposed sawdust—a natural waste product of her process—to evoke the tone and texture of sand.