Featured Artist
- Marketing@CCB
- Jul 10
- 2 min read
The work of local abstract artist Rachel Black is on display in the BGT lobby at 1 Ward Parkway.

We’re pleased to showcase the vibrant, emotionally rich artwork of Kansas City-based abstract artist Rachel Black in the lobby of our 1 Ward Parkway headquarters. If you haven’t yet stopped by to explore the exhibit, consider this your official invitation.
Rachel brings a unique perspective to her work—one deeply rooted in personal history, global travel and years of creative evolution. With a B.F.A. in painting and 15 years in corporate graphic design, she blends structure with spontaneity, fine art with free-form exploration. Her creative process is hands-on and intuitive: She often paints with scrapers, rollers, her hands—anything but a brush. She incorporates spray paint, enamels, oil crayons and stencils to build energetic, textured compositions she calls “visual playgrounds.”
Influenced by abstract giants like Hans Hofmann and Willem de Kooning, as well as graffiti icons like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, Rachel’s art is unapologetically bold and dynamic. But it’s more than aesthetic. It’s also a reflection of joy, freedom and resilience.
That spirit is personal. Rachel is the granddaughter of Holocaust survivor and Kansas City-area resident Big Sonia, and she draws inspiration from Sonia’s light and tenacity.
"My grandmother’s doodles—always bright and colorful despite her past—taught me to focus on lightness in the world instead of the darkness," Rachel shared on a recent episode of CCB's Talking Business Now podcast.
Her work is layered—visually and emotionally. Each piece evolves through process rather than pre-planning.
“People ask me how I know when a painting is finished,” Rachel said. “I just feel it.”
That intuitive approach results in artwork that sparks curiosity and emotional connection. Viewers are invited to lose themselves in color, texture and movement—to find joy, escape or even just a moment of pause.
Rachel’s work has been exhibited in Kansas City, Aspen and Vail. It is also available online at RachelBlackDesign.com. But you don’t have to travel far or go online to experience it. Take a break. Step into the lobby at 1 Ward Parkway. Let the colors wash over you. See what catches your eye—and maybe what catches your spirit too.
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