This is my first attempt at painting fire. It's a very interesting subject in so many ways. I love sitting in front of a fire and watching the flames. I think of all the verbs associated with fire... flames can flicker, dance, and soar; they can lick, waver, and leap; they can even glimmer, glint and flare. Fires mesmerize me. Fire can heal, and it can kill. It is beautiful, and yet can create horror. It is an element, a tool, and an art. It is basic and complex. It is if nothing else, fascinating.

For years now I've contemplated painting flames. How do you capture so much movement and still allow it to feel like movement? I took umpteen photographs and studied how the camera captured the flames. I looked at the colors, the shapes, the hard and soft lines, and all of the angles. And finally, finally, I took a big breath and simply started to paint.