The painting ‘Boschbrand’ (Forest Fire) caught my attention because of its realistic style and strong message about climate change and animals in despair. The dark colors and themes of burning and destruction feel intense and emotional. It shows the impact of forest fires, which are becoming more common due to global warming. I was especially drawn to the way the artist used reds and shadows to create a dramatic and haunting effect.

I researched the artist, Raden Salah, who lived 144 years ago, and his work inspired my own painting. I tried to use similar colors to capture the heat and destruction of fire. I started with the background, then added a smog covered sunset, and finally painted burnt trees to add depth. One of the biggest challenges was dealing with smudged paint and mistakes, but I kept going and found ways to fix them. In the end, I was most proud of how the sunset and mountains turned out. This project helped me improve my painting skills while also making me think more about climate change and its effects.