Grown Together

What a striking work, visually! To begin with, your composition is incredibly fresh and dynamic - the placement of the girl and bear, as well as the contrast between his dark textured fir and her pale sooth skin, creates a bold impact.
In particular, the girl's arms are anchored in an unusual manner with interesting diagonals.
I fear though that perhaps the upper arm rests too unnaturally form anatomical constraints, but is understandably at a lovely angle from a purely visual perspective.
I commend your use of a confrontational gaze on behalf of both the beast and the girl - the viewer's eyes dart, uncertain of whose faze to hold, and thus appreciate the full extent of both creatures' emotion.

Your technique has matured in a way that is wonderful to see - your forms have become crisp and clear, texture playing a larger role, and your colour palette more sophisticated, without excessive saturation or splatters. The way you have allowed the work to fade subtly into formless paint below the bear's face shows great control over the incompleteness that stands to highlight the meticulousness of other areas, rather than detract from them.

An area in which I feel the work suffers slightly is that of originality so far as concept is concerned. While this portrait seems emotionally charged and appears pretty, it seems that the viewer is left wanting for a clue as to the deeper significance of the work. Nevertheless, this work is a leap from the plain and pretty portraits that litter this site. I'd be interested in seeing your wonderful technique married with greater use of symbols & metaphors.

Overall, your art has come a far way to the creation of this work - subtler colours, fewer splatters and intense emotion as well as an element of symbolism show a new level of self-restraint and polish - without creating a clinical work or losing originality and distinctiveness.