Burton Morris was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1964. He earned his bachelor of fine arts degree at Carnegie Mellon University in 1986. After graduation, Burton started a career as an art director in advertising. He established the Burton Morris Studios in 1990. That year he began making his small post-pop icons into large-scale paintings. He would choose one subject per composition to create what he calls “an instant happening” for the viewer. He used his background in advertising to blur the lines between high and low art.
In 1992, Absolut Vodka selected his artwork to represent Pennsylvania for its prestigious Absolut Statehood campaign. During that same year, his paintings began to hang on the hit NBC television sitcom “Friends”, which continued to showcase his artwork for over ten seasons. Morris’ work burst onto the American stage and was given international exposure in 2004, when he produced the signature image for the 76th Annual Academy Awards. The artwork enlivened the facade of the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, CA and was seen by over one billion viewers.
Over the last two decades, he has created signature images for The United States Olympic Team, The 38th Montreux Jazz Festival, The Andre Agassi Foundation, FIFA World Cup Soccer, The 2006 MLB All-Star Game, the 2012 One Young World Conference, and the 2016 US Open Golf Tournament. Original artworks have been commissioned for corporations and Institutions such as H.J. Heinz, Chanel, Rolex, Perrier, AT&T, Kellogg’s and the U.S. State Department. In addition, Burton’s artwork has helped to raise millions of dollars for charities worldwide.
Morris’ artwork is featured in the collections of The Albright-Knox Museum, The Jimmy Carter Center, The Elysee Museum, The United Nations, The International Olympic Museum, The World of Coca Cola Museum, The Senator John Heinz History Museum and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Private collectors range from Presidents, Dignitaries, Celebrities and Corporate leaders worldwide.
Public Collections and Acquisitions
• International Olympic Museum, Lausanne, Switzerland
• Albright – Knox Museum, Buffalo, New York
• Elysee Collection, Paris, France
• Woodbury Art Museum, Orem, Utah
• Hofstra University Museum, Hempstead, New York
• Chanel Corporation, New York, NY
• Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA
• Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, North Carolina
• Enzo Ferrari Museum, Modena, Italy
• Senator John Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, PA
• Jimmy Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia
• Ella Sharp Museum of Art, Jackson, Michigan
• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, CA
• Kunsthaus Centre d’art, Bienne, Switzerland
• United Nations Building, New York, New York
• Rolex Corporation, Geneve, Switzerland
• Microsoft Corporation, Seattle, Washington
• Sony Corporation, Los Angeles, CA
• Coca-Cola Corporation, Atlanta, Georgia
• The White House, Washington, DC
• Andre Agassi Foundation, Las Vegas, NV
• Emeril Lagasse Foundation, New Orleans, LA
• American Red Cross, Dallas, TX
• Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
• Swire Corporation, Kowloon, Hong Kong
• Anheuser Busch Corporation, St. Louis, MO
• Kellogg’s Corporation, Battle Creek, MI
• H.J. Heinz Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA
• E.& J.Gallo Winery, Modesto, California
• Spielberg Pediatrics Center, Los Angeles, CA
• Warner Brothers Studios, Burbank, CA
• David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, PA
• Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
• Zimmer Children’s Museum, Los Angeles, CA