"Piper's Jellyroll"

Oil on linen mounted on birch wood panel - 6” x 8”

...but you can call me Cherry.  Yesterday I said I hated the color orange and here I am using that color again.  What's up with that?  While I do have an issue with "pumpkin" orange, its spectral cousins I actually enjoy visiting my palette on occasion.  Burnt Sienna, Venetian red, Cadmium red light - all welcome guests.  Indeed, I don't think I could paint a portrait without their help. It was proposed that I make the background of this painting less solid and flat.  I maintain that by contrasting the mottled brushwork of the fur and having painted it the hue of Cherry's chromatic complement, it takes on a contemporary, graphic quality.  My question to you, gentle viewers is this - Without adding extraneous elements (i.e. pillows, walls, floors, etc.), do you think this painting is too stark?  Would the addition of a gradient background, more brushwork or pulling some umber into the background add or detract from the piece?  Let me know what you think.