Mary Blair

Mary Blair is an artist you may not have heard of but whose work and influence I am sure you have seen. She designed several murals in the Disney Parks and created concept art for films such as Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland, but her most notable and best-known work is on the “It’s a Small World” ride found at Disney Parks.

Blair (born Mary Browne Robinson) was born October 21, 1911, in McAlester, Oklahoma, and grew up in Morgan Hill, California. She received a scholarship and attended the Chouinard Art Institute of Los Angeles from 1931 to 1933. After graduating, she met her husband Lee Everett Blair, who was a member of the California School of Watercolor, a group Mary would also join. She briefly worked as an animator for both MGM and Ub Iwerks. For the majority of her career, she was employed by the Walt Disney Animation Company.  Blair’s use of imaginative shape and color, and her use of several methods from watercolor to gouache, gave her art a distinctive look and appeal. She created concept art for many of Disney's most popular films. 

In addition to providing concept art, she also animated for films such as Song of the South. An influence on her work was a South American tour she attended with Walt Disney and other animators for the company in 1941. This trip provided her with context to create concept art as well as provided inspiration for what would later be “It’s a Small World.”  Blair left the Walt Disney Animation Company in 1953 to pursue illustration and focus on her family life. In 1964, however, she came back to Disney to work on a new attraction to be featured at the New York World's Fair. This attraction ended up being “It’s a Small World” and Blair’s unique art style gave the ride its distinctive and recognizable look. Throughout the 1960’s, Mary Blair designed murals that were made both of painted elements and mosaic tiles that can be seen in the Disney parks. Even after her career at Disney, Blair continued to create illustrations. 

Blair passed away on July 26, 1978. She has been honored with the title of Disney Legend and the Winsor McCay Award, both posthumously. Mary Blair had a unique artistic perspective that shaped the aesthetic of Disney films and created several iconic art pieces. Her lasting legacy has had an impact on the “magic” created at all Disney parks and is greatly appreciated and honored today.