Featured HELP WITH ARTIST/THOUGHTS ON "COPPERTONE" GIRL PAINTING

I found this painting today at a local thrift store. I asked them to hold it behind the counter to protect it while I finished treasure hunting(!) - when I took it back to pay I saw it had a small rip in it!! They refused to discount it any - it was too new; only being there 1 day, and only saying "sorry". I bought it anyway because:
A) It looks like the Coppertone girl from the old suntan lotion ads (we had 1 here in Miami with the little girl's dog pulling her bathing suit bottom down (and up, and down and up - it was motorized) & I thought it was worth a gamble that maybe this was from the same artist.

B) She looks a lot like my daughter who I lost at the age of 3.

Does anyone know the artist 'Cole'?
Any thoughts on the painting? (I know it will have to be cleaned for sure)
Any idea of value if not a known artist?
As always, thanks for any help!


Below is a photo of my daughter Joy (looks like the painting right?). You can also see her if you go to www.joyshouse.info (a sober house for girls I opened in my daughter's memory - she's on the home page)
PS - yes that's me not John Travolta; I just borrowed his hair!

 

I remember that billboard well at I-95 and 163 st. in N.Miami
I don't think it's a depiction of the Coppertone girl though.

 

Beautiful daughter.

Adorable painting.

So very sorry for your loss.

 

She is beautiful Journey .. and I know the pain of losing a child, it's a pain that never really goes away. You've done a Wonderful thing in her memory .. to help young women on their way to a better life. The picture is Lovely, and YES, the little girl in it does indeed look like little Joy, VERY nice ... Joy.

 

What a beautiful child your daughter was, Journey, and what a wonderful thing you did in her memory........

 

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

Your daughter -- what a gorgeous little bundle of sunshine she was. Sweet sweet picture.

So far, no help with the painting. There's a Nancy Cole with a number of "children at the beach" paintings, but signature/style isn't there.

I suspect this was a "someone who liked to paint" picture... both my husband's grandmothers painted and our house is filled with such paintings. Oh, and my husband's paintings, too.

Maybe some day people will be researching Mr. Jivvy's works.

 

I wont lie,this post made me cry ! She does look like your precious daughter,Id clean it up and enjoy it.

 

Your daughter Joy is beautiful, and the girl in the painting does resemble her. I'm very sorry to hear that you lost her so young. You have done a very positive thing with Joy's House.

The painting... I also found a current artist named Denise Cole who has some similarly-themed paintings. But the sig is wrong and the style is not close enough.

 

Follow up- Sorry I didn't read your thread too well earlier in regards to the loss of your daughter. My apologies, I hope I didn't sound insensitive by not mentioning her in my reply. I'm sorry for your loss and yes she does look quite a bit like the painting, beautiful. I was excited when you mentioned the Coppertone girl billboard. I'm into local history.

BTW- I met you several years ago at a local pickers house who was having a sale in N. Miami not far from you. I remember you mentioning her and the sober house for women. You run ads in CL quite a bit, no?

 

The Coppertone girl was Jodie Foster.

 

Thanks you all for comments (and no comments isn't insensitive - I didn't post her pic for that, but just because the painting brought back so many memories.

Also, I do run them quite a bit in craigslist - maybe too much; last 2 week-ends were 5-6 people total! Maybe the heat or maybe the ads need to be refreshed. Thank goodness for eBay; I've been on a roll there for last few weeks! (for those who don't believe I apologize in advance - but I believe"Rely on God & it will always work out" and it does; always at last moment when needed something will sell or a new girl moved into Joy's House - always something happens so everything works out!)
Jodie Foster was the Coppertone girl?! I always wanted that billboard; it was a icon! (I thin it ended up with a collector/picker in Las Vegas; I believe I saw it on American Pickers or something like it!)

 

I too am sorry for your loss.

I agree with the others, not the Coppertone girl but a lovely piece of art.

 

The original Coppertone girl was actually the 3 yo daughter Cheri of the pin up artist Joyce Ballantyne who designed the original ad.

I haven't been down that way in a while but as far as I knew, the Coppertone girl was located at 7300 Biscayne Blvd. She's been there a good while. They repaired her after Irma last year. Here is a good little read... https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article189294114.html

 

I'm going to beg to differ with @moreotherstuff , but just a little bit. Jodie Foster was "a" coppertone girl in a commercial. But not the model for the illustration.

 

These Coppertone ads even made it to Australia, and at one time it was the best selling brand in the country.
So sorry about the loss of your beautiful daughter. You are obviously keeping her alive in your memories and your deeds. What a wonderful project you have undertaken. All the best.