▁mostly ▁focused ▁on ▁Mc I ver ’ s ▁older ▁sister , ▁R ene e , ▁who ▁was ▁ment ally ▁disabled .. ▁Her ▁aut obi ographical ▁paint ings ▁are ▁rich ly ▁color ful ▁and ▁chron icles ▁her ▁life ▁struggle ▁with ▁her ▁African - American ▁identity . ▁▁ ▁While ▁att ending ▁a ▁pre domin antly ▁white , ▁aff lu ent ▁high ▁school , ▁Mc I ver ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁school ’ s ▁c low ning ▁club . ▁Perform ing ▁in ▁c low n ▁make up ▁and ▁a ▁w ig ▁emp ower ed ▁Mc I ver : ▁“ As ▁a ▁c low n … I ▁was ▁transformed , ▁and ▁in ▁many ▁ways ▁more ▁acceptable ▁to ▁society . ▁No ▁one ▁c ared ▁that ▁I ▁was ▁black ▁or ▁poor . ▁I ▁was ▁emb rac ed .” ▁Consider ing ▁going ▁to ▁c low n ▁school ▁for ▁a ▁brief ▁period ▁of ▁time , ▁Mc I ver ▁decided ▁to ▁purs ue ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁art , ▁ear ning ▁her ▁Master ▁of ▁Fine ▁Art ▁at ▁P enn ▁State ▁University ▁and ▁an ▁honor ary ▁doctor ate ▁from ▁North ▁Carolina ▁Central ▁University . ▁She ▁earned ▁her ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁in ▁P ain ting ▁and ▁Draw ing ▁at ▁North ▁Carolina ▁Central ▁University . ▁ ▁Career ▁Mc I ver ▁work ▁expl ores ▁personal ▁identity ▁and ▁besides ▁self - port rait ure , ▁she ▁is ▁known ▁for ▁painting ▁the ▁people ▁who ▁surr ound ▁her ▁in ▁every ▁day ▁life . ▁ ▁She ▁received ▁several ▁hon ors ▁for ▁her ▁work ▁including ▁a ▁G ug gen heim