Venturer Spotlight: Mary Blair

Venturers

Mar 13

The Venturer Spotlight is our ongoing series highlighting women whose stories deserve to be told, as often and loudly as possible.

These are women who’ve chosen to live passionately, and to continue to question, challenge, and venture out with bravery and curiosity in whatever field or circumstance they found themselves in. These are our role models, and the women we want to be when we grow up.

HERE’S WHY WE LOVE HER….

Any kid who grew up watching Disney movies has a few images burned into their brain. Peter Pan flying to Neverland, Cinderella’s castle, Mickey dancing in a wizard’s hat. . .

Often we hear about Walt’s Twelve Angry Men and if we aren’t careful it’s easy to assume they were the ones who did all the work. BUT, what isn’t as well known is that behind them was one hell of a woman — Mary Blair.

As a lead artist and designer at Walt Disney Studios in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, Mary is the one who created the storyboard and color palette we associate with the iconic Disney movies, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and The Jungle Book. Her distinct style is characterized by flat simplified shapes and bold colors that she famously used in Fantasia’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice segment.

Stop and think about what most women were doing in the 40’s, 50’s & 60’s.

Most certainly were not working outside the home. Thankfully, her artist husband Lee encouraged her to pursue her talents and the world is better for it.

In 1953 she left Disney to concentrate on illustrating children’s books with Little Golden Books, of which her most popular illustration was titled I Can Fly. Ten years later Walt Disney convinced her to lead Disney’s contribution to the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. He trusted her whimsical design and color styling to pull off the It's a Small World ride which went on to become a staple at Disney’s theme parks, creating a little bit of magic along the way.