Mary Blair was an artist who joined the Walt Disney Company in 1940 and worked for many years as an animator and designer on a wide range of projects. Her contributions to films, attractions and hotels helped define a distinctive Disney style during the company’s halcyon days of the 1950s and 60s. The concept paintings she produced guided the final art for movies like: Song of the South (1948), Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951) and Peter Pan (1953). But Mary will be best remembered for the stylized characters and settings she developed for the Disneyland attraction It’s a Small World – a meandering boat journey that introduces visitors to different cultures and children from all corners of the world. Geometric shapes combine with a playful colour palette to create an abstract, albeit memorable, environment. In 2020, the Disney Parks paid homage to the talents of Mary Blair by introducing popcorn boxes and drink containers designed in her signature style.
