One could imagine that the mother bear sleeps nearby, but I wanted to keep her out of the painting and put the cub on a bed of mosses to create the feeling of a very soft children's bed. The warm yellowish tints in the mosses suit the colors of the black bear cub very well. These kinds of color combinations fascinate me, and I usually choose my subjects for that purpose. For a mother bear, the cubs are a constant worry, as they are very vulnerable. So when they settle down after their fun and games, it's time for the mother to take her own nap. - CB