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While Mary Blair may best be known for her work on the iconic ride “it’s a small world”, especially now that the attraction is finally getting some of the merchandise attention it has always deserved, she has a long and remarkable history with the Disney company that made her an obvious choice for her induction as a Disney Legend.
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An Oklahoma girl, Mary Brown Robinson made her way to Los Angeles to pursue a career in fine arts on a scholarship to Chouinard Art Institute. She worked at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer before joining the Disney company in 1940, where Walt immediately fell in love with her “childlike” style.
Mary was the art director on such films as The Three Caballeros and Saludos Amigos, and greatly influenced early titles like Song of the South, Make Mine Music, Melody Time, Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan.
When designing the original “it’s a small world” attraction for the 1964 World’s Fair, Walt could think of no other artist whose style would fit so well as Mary Blair’s. The rest is history, as we have come to know, love, and instantly recognize her work in that attraction around the world, as well as in unrelated pieces such as the mural in the Grand Canyon Concourse inside Disney’s Contemporary Resort and several scenes in El Rio De Tiempo/The Three Caballeros Grand Fiesta Tour boat ride in Epcot. Her work can also be seen in several “Little Golden Books” still readily available in print today.
C. burningsettlerscabin.com
Mary passed away in 1978, and was awarded induction to the Disney Legends program posthumously in 1991.
Want more Mary?
Check out this Google Doodle from October 2011 spotlighting her life and work.
The Art and Flair of Mary Blair: An Appreciation. This hardbound book is a beautiful piece of art showcasing her art.
Add to your collection I Can Fly, the best-selling and most popular Golden Book with Mary’s art, or her entire Golden Book treasury.
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