Identify - Mary Blair

Mary Blair was a concept Artist for Disney studios in the 1940s. Her aesthetic did not necessarily fit the mold of the Disney brand but because of this quality, the films Mary Blair contributed to have a remarkably magic quality to them. Her concept paintings are somewhat abstract and carry a variety of complementary and contrasting colors.

Disney was very fond of Mary Blair's work and hand-picked her to be on his team, initially hiring her as an art director. Mary Blair stayed at Disney for a whole decade before retiring and continuing to spread her talent in other industries, namely Graphic Design and Illustration.

Besides Mary Blair's fearless use of bold colors, I especially admire the flexibility of her lines. She created arcs, swirls and delightful blobs that pulled together an overall endearing aesthetic.

Peter Pan

Peter Pan

Mary Blair designed the 'It's a Small World' ride at Disneyland.

Cinderella

Written to her Husband, Lee Blair:

“We are artists, dear, in love with art and each other. We must make these loves coincide and melt into a beautiful, happy and rich life --- that is our future….we’ll live to be happy and paint to express our happiness”. - Mary Blair

Here is a Google Doodle dedicated to Mary Blair for her 100th birthday:

Created by Mike Dutton.

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The Magic of Mary Blair. About Mary - A short biography by John Canemaker [Online] Available from: http://magicofmaryblair.com/about-mary.htm (Accessed 08/11/2015).

Huffington Post. One Of Disney's Most Influential Female Artists Finally Gets Her Due. (03/22/2014) [Online] Available from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/22/the-world-of-mary-blair_n_5003658.html (Accessed 08/11/2014).