Will Simmons, born Elche, Spain - Ariel - n.d. - T-Shirt

Will Simmons's etching Ariel places a hummingbird in flight among tall wildflowers, held in a quiet, contemplative stillness.

Visual Elements & Composition

Grey stipple covers most of the surface, with pale paper showing through as the light ground and small touches of dark grey and white blossom providing the accents. The composition is built on a tall vertical rectangle. Narrow flower spikes rise through the frame with rosette leaves gathered at their bases, and the hummingbird hangs in flight beside them as the clear focal point. The fine tonal stippling typical of aquatint gives the image its soft, atmospheric depth. A visible catalogue marking, C.SE.397, appears on the sheet.

Meaning & Symbolism

The title Ariel draws on a long literary and mythological tradition in which the name evokes air, spirit and ethereal freedom. In this print that idea is carried by the hummingbird, the most mobile figure in the image, suspended between the rising spikes. The wildflowers anchor the scene in the natural world, so the work moves between the weightless and the rooted. Will Simmons, born in Elche, Spain, maintained a dedicated printmaking practice in the 20th century, and this piece reflects the close observation of natural forms that defined it. The original is held in the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection.

On the Unisex Heavy Cotton Tee

A tee carries the design across the chest, so the hummingbird and tall spikes read at conversation distance, much as a print hung at eye level is taken in. The vertical composition suits the upright form of the shirt, with the flower spikes echoing the line of the body. Wearing Ariel means its quiet, airy mood moves with you and is visible to everyone who looks your way.