Mary Blair: Incomplete Design History Podcast

Abstract

Mary Blair was a fine artist, commercial artist, concept artist, and Disney Imagineer. After graduating from Chouinard and marrying Lee Blair, Mary was set to build a career as a regionalist watercolor painter like her husband. Due to World War 2, fine art was not working out, and the two entered the world of commercial art and animation. Both landed positions at Ub Iwerks Studio. In 1940, Blair joined Walt Disney studios as a sketch artist. The job frustrated her, and she quit shortly after. A few months later, Walt Disney animators went on strike in 1941, right when Walt left on a Goodwill tour of South America. Lee Blair was invited to go with a group of Disney artists. Mary desperately wanted to go, so she convinced Walt to bring her. The South American tour was where Mary Blair flourished as an artist and developed the style we know of today. Walt supported and encouraged her work and involved her in a number of projects back at the studios. Blair was the art director on the films Three Caballeros and Saludos Amigos, and concept artist for Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. Blair left the Disney studios and moved to New York to pursue freelance commercial art. She illustrated for Little Golden Books, did set designs for Radio City Music Hall, and designed ads for Bakers Cocoa and Pall Mall. Mary returned to Disney for her biggest project yet: creating the look for a new Disneyland attraction called "It's a Small World." Mary Blair's modern style had a huge impact on the way Disney created their films and her influence at Disney can be seen to this day.