This is an interesting shot. At first, I thought it was a painting in the thumbnail, but as I looked closer, and read the details, I realized it was a photo. The colors are very rich and earthy, and the moss (?) growing on the bark makes the surface come to life. The composition is nearly flawless, and I would love to see this photo extra large and framed on a wall in a sophisticated apartment building. Even though there are many textures, you still managed to make it look simple, and thats a really good thing. The only thing that bothers me is that this really wasn't a very technical shot, unless you cultivated this and made it the way you wanted it to be (because if you did, 5 stars all around!). I just want to say that perhaps trying more angles would get you more interesting shots. This was a great choice to make a macro, and I'm glad that my view of the subject matter is reduced to a flat plane.

Keep up the good work,
Clay