I have pre-ordered exactly one thing in my life. It wasn’t a copy of Frozen for my kids or a must-have Xbox game. It was a book filled with the work of an artist who died not long after I was born.
Mary Blair’s artwork is a thing of obsession to me. Her work elicits such nostalgia.
Y’all, I literally gasp with every page I turn.
I’m not going to pretend that I know anything at all about art. I’m not going to give you a bio on Mary Blair other than to tell you that she worked with Walt Disney on visual concepts for Cinderella, Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland and on creating the It’s a Small World ride at the 1964 New York World’s Fair (which later became a ride at the Disney parks).
Walt Disney described Mary Blair as being able to use colors that he didn’t even know existed. I’m pretty sure that’s the best compliment anyone has ever given another person. Her work is filled bright colors and graphic shapes. Instead of trying to make her subjects seem realistic, she seemed happy to make sure that they stayed two dimensional. They are fun and happy.
I’ve been working on a project here in my house that I’ve posted a few times on Instagram and Facebook. Someone replied, “That reminds me of It’s a Small World. LOL.”
Well, yeah. It does me, too.
I certainly don’t pretend that I can pull off anything even remotely close to what Mary Blair was able to accomplish in her lifetime. But, I subconsciously draw from her creativity and artistry when I’m selecting colors for projects or lines for walls.
It’s so amazing to have fallen in love with her when I was a child riding a little boat in a shallow river. Of course, I didn’t know who “she” was or didn’t get “why” I loved her. That sort of thing comes with time.
Where do you draw your inspiration?
P.S. The book is called Magic Color Flair: The World of Mary Blair
P.P.S. If you want to see more of Mary’s work, I have a Pinterest board dedicated to her.
wow!! no wonder it looked familiar- all those old disney cartoons and movies! i am now an instant fan! thank you for sharing! i love her art!
Wow, I am going to do some research of Mary Blair. Thank you!
I absolutely ADORE the cute and quirky style of Mary Blair! No one else just like her, for sure. Way back when, I worked both at Disneyland and at a Disney Store in the mall nearby with a Gallery location, so I was already familiar with her work. Her shapes are just so different than the way I think!
I draw my inspiration from What Not To Wear. The whole “color-pattern-texture-shine” works for clothes, but I also try incorporating it into my house. Mixing bright colors in the couch and art, pattern in throw pillows, texture in wood, metal, and faux fur have created dynamic, visually interesting spaces. I’m still working on shine.
I also am continually inspired by a roommate who was 32 when I was only 21 (I rented a room in her house) so I saw her as “SO MATURE!”. Her motto was “People, plants, animals, books, and art make a well decorated home”. At that point I didn’t own any animals, plants, or art, but I started moving in that direction and it has stayed with me. Are books the “coolest” accessories around? Maybe or maybe not, but I love them and they are incorporated into my decor for each room in my house. And I’m working on the plants bit (keeping them alive!). It’s always a work in progress!