I have determined there is one really good thing about me critiquing abstract art – I am forced to be pretty objective about it.

That's particularly important in critiquing this piece. Although it does have an emotional effect, due to the usage of warm and cold colors, this piece really has objects and not necessarily subjects. They look almost like a crystal, like they are facets. It looks almost like you use a combination of bristle brushes and nylon brushes, or perhaps layered the paint on thicker for a smoother look in the streaks closer to the middle of the painting. I like that a lot, though I get the feeling it might be another thing you did accidentally. A lot of people think that abstract art doesn't have themes, but it always has the option of having a theme. In this case, with a title like 'Life.' the rigid, bristly parts could represent birth and death. Especially since 'Life.' specifically has a period after it. (Assuming that's not a typo. But we know by now I like to tell you your accidents are acts of genius.) I like that interpretation, so I am going to call it 'my' interpretation. It could also represent things like happiness and sadness. Motivation and fear. Love and loss.

The way the paint blends near the bottom of the streaks and the way they are layered together gives it a pseudo-3D effect. This is also a good choice in a painting with a name such as 'Life.' In life, things fall where they may, and your path may not be a straight line.

As far as your interpretation goes, it does kind of look like fire, it has the right colors – but, fire is sort of a life form, in a lot of ways. (And I came up with that theory BEFORE seeing the movie Backdraft, tsk!) It feeds. It breathes. It is born and it dies. In a weird way, fire is spontaneous generation, and one could claim, therefor, it is a miracle, and God exists, and so on and so forth... okay, I lost my objectivity completely! But that can be an objective observation in and of itself, because getting lost in a painting called Life makes more sense than anything I've said all day.

I really enjoyed critiquing this! I feel... tingly.