Pick Progress Project

The ArtsKC Community Gallery Program empowers artists, arts organizations, and businesses to engage with the community and showcase art of any discipline through the shared use of our space in the Crossroads. We aim to amplify underrepresented voices, activate the gallery space during peak months of visibility, and support local artists and organizations. We are excited to announce our featured artists and organizations for 2026: May: Cedar Valdez, “It’s Giving: Kansas City Queerness” @cedarvaldez June-July: Juan Diego Gaucin @gaucinfineart August: Mutual Musicians Foundation: “Les Nouveau Noir: Art as Resistance, Memory as Power” @mutualmusiciansfoundation September: The DynamitExperience @thedynamitexperience October: Chandler Johsnon, “Pick Progress” @pick_progress November: Daniel Montoute, “Chameleons Lament” iamdanielmontoute December: ArtsKC Now Showing Showcase Come see us on First Fridays and stay tuned to learn more about each participant! Photo courtesy of Chandler Johnson, @pick_progress

Some final thoughts from Chandler Johnson, Creator and Curator of Pick Progress. Thank you. Thank ALL of you who helped let Pick Progress shine. 📸: @abbiejolene of Novella Brandhouse, @taylormadephotokc , & Ben Lamb 🎥: Footage from Johnson County Community College

To ending February on a good note ~ Towards the end of last year, @kalimizzou invited me to participate in the Pick Progress Together chapter of his long-standing passion project. Though it’s coming to an end, I’m grateful to have gotten to participate. My page just recently went live, so check out the site to look at my page/ questionnaire for insight on my design. Stick around to see the roots of #pickprogressproject , other incredible pieces and great people :)

On another installment of #harddrivechronicles, back in 2023 @kalimizzou hit me up to design a poster for @pick_progress . #PickProgress is a project seven years in the making founded by Chandler Johnson that amplifies Black voices in design through visual storytelling while challenging industry underrepresentation. When I agreed to create a poster for this, I was given the color green and the phrase Black Excellence to create a poster with. Funny enough, I don’t like that term. It’s usually tied to high achievements in the Black community, achievements that don’t always feel inclusive, when the excellence is in just being Black. So I pulled inspiration from my kids because all they have to do is breathe, and they are excellent in my eyes. Pick Progress’s latest gallery is currently up at the University of Kansas, and I’m honored to have been one of the 70+ designers they hit up for this project. Shout out to Chandler for bringing me on. If you’re in the area, check out Pick Progress at the University of Kansas, and explore all the incredible work from the artists involved at pickprogress.com. 🫶🏾💛 #amalaejudesign #ordinarychin #graphicdesign #posterdesign

Our “Stop Killing Black People” type was featured in @pick_progress exhibition at the University of Kansas earlier this year. Check out the digital exhibition of all the designs on their page! #blackpower

Had the amazing opportunity to design a poster for @pick_progress alongside many other artist. If you’re in the Kansas area, be sure to visit the Edgar Heap of Birds family gallery and support! ❇️

@pick_progress is hosting an exhibit featuring the piece shown before you (made by ME🤭). Be sure to attend the show and enjoy the works of amazing artists including myself! It ends September 13th DONT MISS IT🗣️ • • • • • • • • #museumart #ku #blackartexhibit #kyleayanaart #artists2024 #digitalart #pickprogress #pickprogressgallery #adobeillustrator #artshowseason #artshow #iminanexhibitlol #iatethis #youngartists #collegeartshow

Letter to Myself 👑/ 6 Months since I been freelancing - I don’t even know where to start with this one but I just deeped it’s been 6 months since I quit 9-5 to pursue art proper as a freelance illustrator and animator mainly doing character designs. I’ll be so real I didn’t expect to make it this far 😭 As in I had my very first art exhibition as an artist (after uni) and it just so happens to be in the UNITED STATES 🇺🇸 for black history month s/o @pick_progress . Then on top of that seeing my art in @popbrixton for a sold out party on DICE FM 😭🥳 big up @friendsinmyends then having my art reaching out to people in Bristol for a cypher event vs London and I’m just like yoooo 😭 i’m really helping people smile through my art big up @emergingsounds_ Then i’m outchea getting free headphones from nothing (btw these headphones slap) as well as getting back into animation and having lovely reviews from clients (didn’t wanna hot them up just in case 🫣). I’ll be so real I just gotta thank God for everything cos I be looking back and i’m like howwww. And I appreciate all of you guys’ support alwaysss ❤️❤️❤️ #lifeupdate #illustrator #animator #characterdesign #mixedmedia #dayinthelife #artist #youngcreatives #creative #blackcreatives #london #freelancerlife #freelancedesigner #blackartist

What does black power look like? Thanks to @pwr.create and @kalimizzou I had the opportunity to design this poster for @pick_progress highlighting black power. Rather than lettering the phrase “black power” and calling it a day, I wanted to spotlight a local display of black power in my city. This piece is inspired by the “swim-in” that took place by local activists at Baton Rouge’s city park pool house. It was segregated at the time but still funded by the taxes of colored people. A striking thing I learned in an interview with Rev. Betty Claiborne upon approaching city park, is that the activists really tried to not have many black men involved with the swim in, since they would be at risk of being killed. Seeing the care black women had in that moment in the midst of protest was beautiful. Thank you @brgallery for putting in the exhibit that taught me about this display of black power.

A beautiful night, inside and out. Thank you Chandler Johnson for the inspirational keynote speech. Also, a big thank you to the local Pick Progress artists (Khyneesha Edward’s, Nikky McCormick, Sam Meier, and Jon Marzette) for their humorous and warm presentations. We see you Kidwell. 👀 #pickprogress #blackhistorymonth #designinspiration #graphicart #joy #inspiration

Kansas City-area art lovers are still aglow from Thursday’s Pick Progress (@pick_progress ) 🔑 keynote event, organized by Art Director and AIGA Kansas City (@AIGA KC) member, Chandler Johnson (@kalimizzou ). The sold-out event was the pinnacle of the month-long 🖼️ gallery exhibition honoring Black identity, resilience, and artistic expression from creatives from around the world. Happily, the 🖼️ gallery exhibition is open for public view at the Fine Arts + Design Studio at Johnson County Community College (@johnsoncountycommunitycollege ) through Thursday, February 29th! While there, you can: 🛫 Take a journey through over 70 striking posters 🔎 Discover the empowering phrases etched on 31 plastic afro-combs 🪮 👓 Get enlightened by insightful interviews with artists and educators from all around Featured artists: 🖌️ Jennifer White-Johnson (@jtknoxroxs ) 🖌️ Chris Robinson (@chriscandraw ) 🖌️ Khyneesha Edwards (@JustSayNeesh ) 🖌️ Monique Steele (@moniquesteeleart ) 🖌️ Amber N Ford (@ambern.ford ) 🖌️ Hayley McMillon 🖌️ Monika (Nikky) McCormick (@sheis.nikkymccormick ) 🖌️ Jade (@mcspaceburger ) 🖌️ Sandra Mawuto Dotou (@smawuto ) 🖌️ Sade Popoola (@shadzs_art ) Which poster is your favorite? Why not see them all in person? 📅 Gallery hours open until February 29th 📍 Johnson County Community College @ 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS 66210 🎫 For more info, visit our link in bio #aigadesign #AIGADEI #pickposters #pickprogressproject #AIGAKC #blackcreatives #typedirectors #designassociation #designcommunity #designcreators #blackcreators #creatives #designinspo #graphicdesign #illustration #posterart #designevent #blackartists #blackexcellence #artgallery #kansascity #kansascityart

Shoutout to Philly-based artist @audreydrawdrey for their poster featured in this years insallment of @pick_progress 🙌❤️🎉 Head over to @pick_progress and view posters from artists around the world!🌎🌍🌏 #repost @pick_progress Day 25 — Hope by Audriana Gibson “I’ve always been fascinated by the extraterrestrial and their connection to the struggle of black people’s attempts at finding/building their identity in America. Two groups of “people” were displaced but forced to survive in an unfamiliar, fairly hostile environment. What if we could communicate with the above and travel to a new world or utopia where we truthfully could find comfort and ultimate belonging? To communicate these ideas, I was heavily inspired by The X File’s “I Want to Believe” poster. Straightforward in its message to inspire hope in the belief of UFOs, I wanted to encourage the message of “Hope” for a better, reimagined world for black folks.” Get a closer look at Audriana’s poster at . ✏️ ✏️ ✏️ #aigadesign @aigadesign #aigadei @aigadei #aigaeyeondesign @aigaeyeondesign #pickposters #babeshelpinbabes #aigakc @aigakc