This work, oh how to describe it? It began as an experiment in abstract mark making in oil using a variety of tools that are not necessarily meant for oil painting to push the paint around, to take away and leave the oil in various places. Then I sat with it for a number of weeks to decide what those marks suggested to me. I decided to put in the face and hand from an fashion editorial I had photographed with the great Shadia Ghantos as my model. She is great at emotive modeling. As the painting evolved, it seemed to demand smoke. Then, well, there is no smoke without fire right? So I had to add fire. The fire rings her but does not consume her. It seems like she herself is emanating the fire.