BE COOL WITH WHO YOU ARE, BARBIE

BE COOL WITH WHO YOU ARE, BARBIE

ABILENE, Texas (Wireless Flash) – Barbie’s official portrait artist is sending her fans a message: “Be cool with who you are.” Artist Steve McElroy – who is licensed by Mattel to paint pictures of the gravity-defying doll – will soon unveil a new abstract portrait of the doll that shows her with chunky ankles, a lumpy torso and a multicolored skin tone. He says the “Be Cool With Who You Are Barbie” portrait was inspired by all the questions he gets about whether Barbie is good for young girls’ body image. McElroy says this Barbie looks more like a real American woman and the theme is that a person’s accomplishments are more important than their looks. He’ll unveil the painting Thursday (Aug. 9) at the Grace Museum in Abilene, Texas.

Tue 08-07-01