645 North Michigan Avenue c. 1947

Ethel Spears made this woodcut, ‘645 North Michigan Avenue,’ and it’s all about sharp contrasts and textures. The whole thing's built from tiny cuts and gouges, a real testament to process. The texture in this piece is amazing - look at the way she's created detail in the brickwork or the leaves of the trees. Those tiny marks make up everything - the house, the people, even the little dog being walked on the street. The whole scene is built from pure physicality. It’s like each mark is a tiny performance. Spears was part of a wave of artists interested in urban life. Think of the Ashcan School, but with a folk art sensibility. And just like them, she reminds us that art can be found in the everyday, not just in fancy galleries, but right outside on North Michigan Avenue.