It's funny how the inner dark can leak out into a composition and change it both in mood and context. This was supposed to be sweet and peaceful when I was planning it. But as each element was placed, it became a bit darker and more ambiguous. My own subconscious attitude toward the subject stained the piece and changed everything. In a sense, this is much more interesting than what I'd originally intended. I doubt a warm, sunny bit of a boy and his dog snoozing by mid day would have had the same impact. While this is essentially the same placement, the same stillness, there is a tension and a sense of foreboding to it that is, to me, more satisfying.