MILAN – The name Mary Blair may not evoke many memories in you readers but it is possible that you are aware of many works made by the artist. Blair, in fact, is an artist born in Oklahoma, who became part of the Disney art world in the 40s, 50s and 60s and is one of the creators of animated films such as “Cinderella” , “Alice in Wonderland ” and “ Peter Pan ” . READ ALSO: The sheets inspired by Alice in Wonderland arrive for a fairytale decor THE BEGINNINGS OF MARY BLAIR
It was the end of the 40s when Walt Disney was working on the realization of Cinderella. Already with Snow White Walt had shown how animated feature films could capture the attention of the public in an unexpected way. The production of Cinderella had also begun at a pivotal time for the studio. The outbreak of the Second World War had led to a reduction in distribution abroad and the studio was working on a series of highly ambitious and adventurous aspects.
And while the production costs of Cinderella had to be kept low, Walt was convinced he wanted to create an animated film that was recognizable and extraordinarily beautiful. This is why he wanted to involve the artist Mary Blair in this project. By the time Cinderella took full shape, Blair was nearly 40 years old.
Twenty years earlier she had won a scholarship to theChouinard art school in Los Angeles , where she studied to become an illustrator. It was on that occasion that the then Mary Browne Robinson met her future husband Lee Blair . Together they developed a watercolor painting style that was very popular during the Depression and many of their work has been exhibited in galleries nationwide. READ ALSO: The exhibition celebrating Disney princesses arrives in Milan .
Her works Her brilliant designs and modernist style have reigned supreme in Walt Disney’s studio for almost 30 years, during which she has created iconic illustrations and drawings. As evidenced by the Huffingtonpost, Blair joined the Disney family in 1940 and after painting a series of watercolors in Mexico and South America.
Disney has appointed her as an art supervisor on works such as “Saludos Amigos” and “The Three Caballeros” . Years later, however, she was already working on explosive color combinations for her first personal interpretations for “Alice in Wonderland” , “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad” , “Cinderella” and “Peter Pan” . COMMENTS
“He brought modern art to Walt Disney in a way that no one else has,” says animator Marc Davis of Blair’s work. In the 1960s, Disney took advantage of Mary Blair’s experience in designing and creating the memorable “It’s a Small World”. His two-dimensional illustrations became three-dimensional works, in the theme park wanted by Walt Disney for the 1964 New York Universal Exposition.
With electric splashes of magenta, turquoise and green imprinted in his drawings for animation and theme parks, there is no and it is surprising that with her contribution in “Peter Pan” she has been defined as a “stylist of color”.
Despite his prolific career prior to his 1978 death, his name isn’t exactly etched into the canon of art history, although animators and designers find him hugely influential, so much so that he was celebrated with a wonderful Google Doodle in 2011. READ ALSO: Disney characters revisited in a modern way
