JOYCE BALLANTYNE
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Joyce Ballantyne painted the original Coppertone girl. At one time there were hundreds of giant billboards with a mechanical Cocker Spaniel pulling down the blue swimsuit of that little blond girl with a pale bottom. Ballantyne also painted the portraits of many entertainment and sports personalities. She often said of the Coppertone Girl: “Big deal, it’s only baby art. I didn’t feel there was anything special about that ad. Just a piece I was commissioned to do and nothing more.”
“I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way.” – Jessica Rabbit
There’s something special about pin-up art. They’re idealized images that are erotic without being graphic. A pin-up is a throwback to a simpler time when a bit of art could be a motivator and not just another X rated click. Arguably pin-ups objectify women but it’s just as true that it’s an art form embraced by modern women who feel empowered by Bad Girl Art. Rockabilly chic, Suicide Girls, Dita Von Teese; The pin-up is out there and alive in performances, photography, fashion music and tattoos.
I must confess I havent run across any of Ballantynes art(art?) before.