Walt Disney Imagineering Pays Tribute to Mary Blair on Her 100th Birthday
Looking over the history of The Walt Disney Company, you would be hard-pressed to find an artist more influential than Mary Blair.
Known for her bold use of color and her distinct style, Blair joined Disney in 1940, working on concept art for Dumbo and creating a never-produced segment for Fantasia.
In 1941, she joined Walt Disney’s trip to South America, which resulted in the creation of the films The Three Caballeros and Saludos Amigos. Blair served as an art supervisor on both movies.


Photo:artstarvedandbookthirsty.com
Later, Mary would both work on and influence numerous other Disney films, including Song of the South, Make Mine Music, Melody Time, So Dear to My Hert, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, and perhaps most memorably, Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan.
Creating “it’s a small world”
When Walt Disney set out to create “it’s a small world” for the Pepsi pavilion at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair, he turned to Mary Blair. The final attraction would be the perfect physical manifestation of Blair’s now-iconic style.


Disney
With its playful colors and unique art style, “its small world’s” aesthetic would become synonymous with Disney and instantly recognizable. It was all thanks to Mary Blair.


Photo: Mary Blair
In addition to her work on small world, Blair would design multiple murals for Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Her most famous work, the Grand Canyon Concourse mural, still looms large at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.


Disney’s Contemporary Resort Mary Blair Mural
Imagineering’s Tribute to Mary Blair
In celebration of what would have been Mary Blair’s 100th anniversary, Walt Disney Imagineering took to Instagram to pay tribute to the Disney Legend.


Photo: Also Vintageunscripted.com
“Happy Birthday to Disney Legend Mary Blair! 🎨✨ As an imaginative color stylist and designer, Mary’s vibrant use of color and modern art shaped some of Disney’s most beloved films, including Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan,” Imagineering wrote.
“Her bold artistic style not only brought these animated classics to life but also left a lasting impact on @disneyparks and Walt Disney Imagineering, where she helped design “it’s a small world” and contributed to numerous exhibits, attractions, and murals in California and Florida. Her vision continues to inspire Imagineers and delight guests around the world.”
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60 years after “it’s a small world” made its debut in New York, Mary Blair’s style, creativity, and genius continue to inspire new generations.
What a legacy.
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