I found the title of the contest appealing because, it took alot of artistic thinking to determine the elements I would use to express my youth. So even though I'm waiting on my paintshop pro 9 to arrive, I took a chance to use my Bryce for the first time then edited it in Poser. I simply adore the result and hope it will make others smile as well! Thanks for allowing me to share my art and dream - criticism is welcomed! The artwork for me represents obtaining the emotional growth that I seek (the water). I've often wished I could go back and adjust my emotional understandings and growth at that point in life. The expanse of water represents the possibility of such growth (perfection of emotion basically). The sky above represents freedom. At 16 I had way to much freedom and no restraints to hold me back from making some very serious and life affecting decisions. The clouds in my pic represent gentle constraints upon said freedoms that I would like to have should I go back to being 16 again - ideally. The ice (which represents all the things that have affected me in a manner that was not in my best interest in life), believe it or not was sort of difficult, mostly because I had to move it and adjust it and so forth quite a bit to gain 'realistic' effects of ice that had flowed in the sea as it rose, and crashed then froze in place as the tide rolled outward again. It represents the coldness of that which is not a part of my world yet the effects it has on my world, as well as the obvious chaos of the world. On the other hand, it also offers a necessary safe haven for others (the seals) who have learned to adapt and use it as opposed to running from it, for example. It's simply necessary and must exist just as it is... The two seals in the background represent true puppy love...secret innocent love between two souls in a chaotic world...souls that one may not consider when thinking of love... the seal in the front, represents a friend. One who would not explain away the need for life to be exactly as it is, but one who instead, occuppies my time and distracts me from thinking too deeply about various plights that may affect my getting past the ice and to the calm waters. I chose a seal to represent purity and innocence in that person - a friend for the sake of friendship... I wouldn't change my past per se, it has made me who I am today and I'm ok with that...I would just understand imyself and the reasons WHY for everything that I saw a bit better if I were to go back...and this is the treasure that shows me what I want to know - hence it's my secret place... :) Oh, and notice the magic of the scene....NO PEOPLE to interfere....so this place allows time to think - time to learn so that I don't HAVE to go back...unless I want to.