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. Her paintings form satirical statements that incorporate 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. “As a woman raising a daughter and as a retired high school teacher, I’ve experienced and observed first-hand the negative effects of these ultra-thin media images. It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to alter the media’s representation of the “ideal body“, for as we know, “thinness sells”.

“This show 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. 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
paintings. This project has altered both the way I view mass media and the possibilities of my art.”