Morgan Overton

Morgan Overton is a multidisciplinary visual artist, advocate, and cultural strategist based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her practice centers Black interiority, ancestral memory, and Afrofuturism. Working primarily in graphite, watercolor, and mixed media, she creates figurative works that merge realism with layered, atmospheric environments. Graphite allows for intimate, humanizing portraiture, while watercolor introduces ethereal vibrancy.

Her work draws from genealogical research, archival materials, and historical context to reinterpret found imagery and reconstruct fragmented histories. She is invested in honoring the emotional and spiritual lives of Black individuals who have lived within systems of constraint while cultivating beauty, joy, and cultural continuity. Her compositions often hold figures in states of stillness and reflection, creating space for presence, care, and self-determination.

Overton’s broader practice is informed by her background in psychology, social work, and public service, positioning art as a tool for collective memory, healing, and social engagement. From 2023–2025, she served as the inaugural Artist-in-Residence at the University of Pittsburgh’s Frederick Honors College. She has also held residencies at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and the August Wilson House.

Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the United States Capitol, the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, and the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. She is the recipient of the Carnegie Museums’ Community ARTivist Award and was named to Pittsburgh Business Times’ 30 Under 30.

Photo by Ryan Hamilton