Oftentimes, the most enjoyable art experience is that which is least expected.
That happened to me on Sunday, when I took my little white dog Mac on a walk over to Hinckley Park in South Portland.

It was a gorgeous morning, with a lot of sun, still-fresh snow on the ground and not a lot of people. Besides a few fellow dog-walkers, the only folks I encountered were a couple of people ice fishing on the frozen pond.

They drew my attention, but something else held it. In the middle of the pond, a huge wooden ladder ascends to the heavens.

My first instinct was to climb. I though of Jack and the Beanstalk, and wondered what the world might look like from above.

Common sense prevailed. Even though the hand-carved ladder appeared to be solidly built, svelte is not the first word that comes to mind when I describe my own physical structure. I could stand to loose a few pounds, and the thought of crashing down onto the ice in a heap wasn’t very appealing.

Besides that, the ladder was build with safety in mind. Some of the lower rungs are set far enough apart that you couldn’t humanly climb more than a couple of feet.

The work, called “Ascend,” is the creation of Portland-area artist Maisie Broome. She erected it on Feb. 19, and it will remain in the ice until March 1.

Be sure to check it out.

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