Interview with Debra Lott
BIO
Debra Lott [b.1951] is an American figurative artist from South Florida, now living in Louisville, KY. Lott completed her undergraduate degree at Palm Beach International University and received her Master’s Degree from Florida Atlantic University. She studied privately under Graham Ingles, EC Comic illustrator.
Debra Lott has practiced oil painting and portraiture while instructing art classes since 1971. Her paintings have been selected for regional, national and international exhibitions including: Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, Owensboro, KY, 33 Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, Chautauqua National Exhibition, Eastern Kentucky University, Art at the X National Juried Exhibition, Xavier University, Cincinnati and Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, International Biennial Portrait Competition.
Selected awards include International Artist Magazine Art Prize Competition, ‘People & Figures, Finalist Award’, American Women Artists Spring Show 2021, ‘Outstanding Figurative Award’, 15th International ARC Salon Semi-Finalist, Figurative Category, and ‘Your Art Louisville’, Save Art Space, Solo Public Art Exhibit on seven billboards, Louisville, KY. Lott is a three-time grant recipient from Kentucky Foundation for Women. Notable collections include Norton Cancer Institute and Family Scholar House of Louisville, KY.
Q&A
How true are you to your artist statement?
I’m often described as a social commentary artist. Most of the paintings I create are about women and empowerment. My portfolio includes socially conscious themes about privilege, abuse, marginalization, self-identity and body image. As a feminist artist, my journey is assimilated into each of my paintings, as well as the shared female experience.
I make a visual statement of women exhibiting strength, perseverance and resilience. My five solo exhibits at Pyro Gallery in Louisville have featured: the marginalized elderly woman, the mass media’s portrayal of women, the #METOO movement, and Women Stronger Together. I’ve received three Kentucky Foundation for Women grants to support these exhibits; KFW’s mission is to promote positive social change by supporting various feminist expression in the arts.
Explain your process.
My process includes exploring and researching themes of social, political and contemporary issues involving women. To start with, I visualize and plan how I want to accomplish my objective with models and then photograph them. I work primarily from photographs because I paint every day. My subject matter and theme drive my choice of style and technique which has included naturalism, expressionism, semi-abstraction and figurative distortion. My large-scale expressive paintings are created in richly colored oil palettes and in the direct/alla prima style.
What artwork in history has inspired you the most?
The artwork that first inspired me to become an artist was the painting, Ruby Green Singing (1928) by James Chapin. This painting is part of the collection of Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida. I first saw this painting as a grade school student on a field trip to the museum. I remember standing in front it, not wanting to move or take my eyes off of it. Not long after this field trip, I took my first oil painting lessons offered by the museum. Every time I return to south Florida, I visit Ruby Green Singing again and I’m always in awe and inspired.