These Children's Books Illustrated By Mary Blair Are A Must For A Disney Fan's Shelf
byCat Bowen
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You might not know her name, but you definitely know her artwork. Mary Blair was one of the most prolific illustrators of the 20th century. She drew the concept art for Cinderella, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and more. When she wasn't creating iconic images for Disney, she illustrated several Little Golden Books, as well as designed popular ads for companies like Maxwell House and Nabisco. Her work is immortalized all over the planet, but especially at Disney, where her "It's A Small World" design still enthralls visitors, and these books illustrated by Mary Blair are the perfect addition to your Disney-loving home's bookshelf.
Born Mary Browne Robinson from McAlester, Oklahoma, Mary Blair won a scholarship to the Chouinard School of Art in Los Angeles at age 20, where she studied illustrating, according to Disney. It was there that she would begin to hone her commercially viable art by working with her husband, Lee Blair, on a type of watercolor and illustration style of work popular during the Great Depression. Several years later, Blair would fall into her own unique style after taking a trip to South America where she would be inspired by the graphic bold geometric patterns so abundant in the everyday goods found in the region. It was then that she became one of the most sought-after illustrators in the world, working between Disney, Little Golden Books, and in many large companies' advertisements.