Creator of the World Most Famous Little "Nudist" Dies

Samples of her work

Artist who created famous Coppertone Girl dies at 88


Ocala, Florida (AP) — The artist who created the bare-bottomed Coppertone Girl of the famed suntan lotion ads has died in Ocala. She was 88.

Her family says Joyce Ballantyne Brand suffered a heart attack last week, but had returned home under hospice care. Brand died in her sleep on Monday.

In 1959, she painted her daughter as the now infamous Coppertone Girl. The painting shows a mischievous black puppy pulling down a little blond girl's swim trunk bottoms.

Brand was paid $2,500 for the painting.

Brand's illustrations ranged from wholesome Ovaltine ads to risque pinup girls.

She won a scholarship to Disney's School for Animation in California, but it was withdrawn when the faculty found out she was a woman. She studied art at the University of Nebraska and the American Academy of Art in Chicano.

She was unapologetic about her love of cigarettes and a good, stiff martini in the evening.

Source: http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=31402