By Ellen Garnett
Staff Writer

Have you ever spotted a really neat piece of art at Simmons? Do you want to share your insights on the meanging behind art work around Simmons?

“Spotted at Simmons” is a student-driven piece that encourages students to submit their thoughts and opinions on art they see on campus.

This week, I found a painting titled “Legendary Ladder” by Wendy Seller, a former assistant professor of art at Simmons College. I especially like this painting for its sense of magical realism. On first glance, Seller’s painting reminded me of “Alice and Wonderland,” with its colorful and playful imagery, not to mention that the biggest ring in the ladder looks like the Cheshire Cat. I half expected to see his glowing eyes and wide mysterious smile.

I also really appreciate the vines of the trees creating the ladder, as if it is a tool for moving upward or for making progress. This piece could suggest how we use nature to help us in life and that we really are dependent on its resources. The birds flying through the branches of the trees are the same colors of the leaves, which could imply the cyclical process of nature, how things live, die and how the dead are recycled to help the living.