Artist Emily Jane Wood with her display at Art in Motion.

Friday, January 24th marked the opening of a show of new ceramic work by Hamtramck artist and productive force behind Hamtramx Ceramix, Emily Jane Wood at the Art in Motion Gallery. Located high in the north end of Detroit, on the former “Fashion Avenue” strip of Livernois Avenue, Art in Motion came about through the REVOLVE Livernois initiative by the Detroit Economic Growth Association, and saw its big launch during the Detroit Design Festival’s “Light Up Livernois” event last September. Wood’s array of new pieces displayed the continuing evolution of her cornerstone element, the obsessive rendering of notable and negligible structures of Hamtramck, laid out across and inside functional and beautiful clay vessels in ever-increasing dimension and detail.

Wood’s work highlights Hamtramck landmarks, such as Burk’s Igloo and the Chow Mein joint at Jos. Campeau and Caniff.

Wood’s work has become increasingly detailed, with utility poles, pylons, and scrap wood (her new signature) decorating interior surfaces.

Also on display were pieces from fiber artist and importer Yvette Jenkins, with an array of functional and beautiful objects constructed from Mozambique-sourced fabrics, and Art in Motion proprietress M. Kay Willingham, who works to build largely abstract clay bodies.

Artist Yvette Jenkins and her Mozambique fabrics.

Art in Motion has a number of opportunities for everyone to get in on the fun, with a series of upcoming ceramic classes, one of which is an eight-week independent study taught by Wood herself.

Wood’s class is marked above with a check and a star!

Take some time to check out the art scene coming to life up on Livernois, with new gallery spaces, thriving fiber and ceramic studios, and an abiding participatory spirit at work.

Art in Motion: 19452 Livernois Ave., Detroit; 313-980-1265 Emily Jane Wood: emilyjanewood.com