Your Art Louisville / Debra Lott
Debra Lott, At Arms Length, 60x36, Oil on Canvas (photographer of art work: Ron Perrin)
Debra’s artwork will be on view starting June 17, 2019 and will be on view for at least one month at 2317 Frankfort Ave, 512 S. 5th St., 5920 New Cut Rd., 6250 Strawberry LN., 4502 Poplar Level Rd., 4105 W. Market St., and 3613 Cane Run Rd.
Artist Statement for “At Arms Length” by Debra Lott
Funded with a grant from Kentucky Foundation for Women, Debra Lott presents an observation and commentary on the mass media’s portrayal of flawless, unattainable feminine ideals in magazines, movies and music videos. This painting is a satirical statement that incorporates figurative distortion and exaggeration while mocking the media’s use of melodramatic, erotic and often implausible poses. The intent beyond the aesthetics is to engage viewers, raise awareness and stimulate dialogue among young girls and women.
“This piece is a departure into socially conscious art; it is also an extension of my past work. I have always enjoyed painting the female form. Until now, the work took a naturalistic form; however, the absurdity of my source material inspired me to take the work in a more experimental direction. The subject matter shaped my perspective on the figures and they began to take on a life of their own. Loose, thicker brushstrokes added an emotional, psychological dimension to the painting. As a result, this project has altered both the way I view mass media and the possibilities of my art.”
Bio
Based in Louisville, KY, Debra Lott creates oil paintings and drawings that use the female form to explore contemporary issues in art. Her large-scale expressive paintings reflect upon the human experience, specifically about women adjusting and coping with contemporary challenges. Her works transcend ethnicities, socio-economic levels, and age.
Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, Lott received a BA in Art Education from Palm Beach Atlantic University and an MAT in Art with a Specialization in Painting from Florida Atlantic University. She studied privately in South Florida under Graham Ingles, illustrator and famed EC comic artist.
Lott’s work has been featured in regional, national and international exhibitions at venues such as: The National Women’s Caucus for the Arts at Kniznick Gallery in Brandeis University, Boston, the St Louis National Caucus for the Arts in Missouri, and the International Drawing Annual 5 Exhibition in Print, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio, “Demographically Speaking”, a Figurative Exhibition, Lexington Art League. Selected Corporate collections are St. Joseph’s Hospital East, Lexington, KY, Norton Cancer Institute, Louisville, KY, Family Scholar House, Louisville, KY, Center for Women and Families, Louisville, KY and private art collector’s LaDonna Nichols and Larry Shapin.
A recipient of many awards and honors, Lott received The Kentucky Foundation for Women 2007, 2008 and 2016 Artist Enrichment Grants, the Multicultural Expressions of Faith, Award of Excellence, Xavier University, Cincinnati and the 2016 Figurative Artist of the Year Award, at Art Comes Alive 2016, Cincinnati, OH. First Place in “Years of Chaos, Issues that are Destroying Us Now,” Kore Gallery, 2019 Louisville, KY.
As a member of Pyro Gallery in Louisville, KY, Lott has been the featured or solo artist in seven major exhibits.
Connect with Debra on Instagram at @debralott.
Curated by Ashley Brossart
Connect with Ashley on Instagram at @orange_peeled.
