Variation on a Theme by Matisse and more art by Richard Castellana

I did a smaller painting on this theme with an abstract of a bush (without the fire) in the foreground. I don't know exactly what inspired the addition of a fire, but it seemed appropriate to real life...it is basically a joyful painting of dancers under (really, over) threat of becoming consumed in flames. It only occurred to me afterwards that it was apropos to this time of pandemic.