Minneapolis illustrator brings diversity to design to ‘celebrate Afro beauty and resilience’

As she studied to become a graphic illustrator, Twin Cities artist Kprecia Ambers would often scout networking mixers and web sites trying to find others who looked like her.

Dissatisfied by the lack of diversity she found, Ambers, who is Black, has made showcasing people with a multitude of skin colors and origins central to her designs.

Ambers, founder of Kp Inspires, has been busy lately. On Monday, she was scheduled to draw live at a sold-out event at the Minnesota Vikings Training Camp. Last month, Target launched a second round of home decor with her designs under the Minneapolis retailer’s Room Essentials brand. The line, which includes pillows and stainless steel tumblers, all with imagery of Black people with kinky hair and pops of color, is part of her latest art licensing agreement with Target.

In 2023, Ambers also illustrated “Echo in the Distance,” a children’s book written by WCCO anchor Shayla Reaves about Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.

Ambers recently talked with the Star Tribune about her work. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I did start out with graphic design, but it was heavily graphics and text, and I just found myself more attracted to creating a graphic that people could relate to, something that could uplift them and make them feel good, relatable. By the time I graduated, I was thinking a lot about how I can connect to people, and I figured out that I could create people [in my art]. My whole goal was just to connect with them, uplift people and just to give off a type of energy that’s confident, happy and just feels good.

While I was in college and majoring in graphic design [at Concordia University in St. Paul], I just really wanted to see more representation, so whenever we would have a book, whenever there was a video, whenever there was an event, whenever there was a visiting studio, I was always looking for people of color designers in particular. And once I graduated, I really wanted to work for a company that was Black-owned or be around other designers or people of color. It was just difficult [to find them]. It was difficult in school, and it was difficult when I got out. Through my person-filled artwork and products I get to celebrate that Afro beauty and resilience. While I’m partnering with companies, I definitely try to uplift and show diversity because I understand the importance of representation and how it feels when you don’t see yourself out there.

After George Floyd, there was just a lot happening in the world. We all know. It was very mentally draining and a lot of things were being called out. Blue Cross Blue Shield had reached out and they were starting their campaign about racism as a health crisis, and it basically called out that racism is ingrained into health care systems that also impact our community and people of color. I created a piece for them that represented their campaign showing all of these diverse faces and, from there, they mentioned they were starting a program that would give high school students an opportunity to share their stories about racism. It started off just talking to different high school students about how I create my artwork and giving them examples of how they can create artwork as well. This year we’re in person at MIA. It’s been a really cool experience. I always say I learn from the students more because they are already really brilliant.

I probably should be. It’s funny because it’s been something that’s been talked about in the art community for a while. “The robots are going to take over!” In my head I’m like, “Naw. No they’re not.” I guess this is a version of what that might look like. I feel like there are things in particular that a client may be looking for that an AI may not be able to give because it does look very fake, it does look very fantasy-like.

The cool part of course is being in a major company, a big retail store. Last year, when my picture was out there I was like, “I’m all over the place!” People get a little bit more excited to hear that I’m in Target. What I would say is a con, I don’t get paid [when they sell a product] so I think at a point that started to bother me. Last year, they had all of the artist pictures and a little mini description to let customers know it’s an artist collaboration, versus this year it’s just presented as Room Essentials. Makes sense from a business perspective, but it also took away from the artist recognition. From this experience, I have learned to always promote and celebrate my own brand. ... Originally Target bought the licenses to my artwork. This year, I got the rights to my license back.

I feel like during and after George Floyd there was an increase in companies to want to prove and show that they’re supportive [of diversity] which can come off as either legit or fake. At the end of the day, you are a client and I’m going to get paid for it, but you also become more conscious and aware because you don’t want to be a token either. With all the political stuff that’s happening, the word diversity starts to become this scary word you are not supposed to use. Like it’s a bad thing. But to me, I think that makes me go harder. I think that will help me stand out even more because there are people that are afraid of it because of the political backlash that they are afraid to encounter. To me, that means I stand even stronger in my space because my artwork is about challenging those stereotypes.