The Art and Flair of Mary Blair: An Appreciation FROM THE PUBLISHER
For more than a dozen years, a quiet-spoken, unassuming woman dominated design at the Walt Disney Studios with a joyful creativity and exuberant color palette that stamped the look of many classic Disney animated features, including Cinderella and Peter Pan . Favorite theme park attractions, most notably the "It's A Small World" boat ride, originally created for the 1964 New York World's Fair, were also among her designs. Now the story behind one of Walt's favorite artists is celebrated in this delightful volume of whimsical art and insightful commentary.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
The Art and Flair of Mary Blair: An Appreciation by John Canemaker examines the joyful creativity and charm of one of the top artists and designers at the Walt Disney Studios. Blair created the look of many classic animated Disney films, including Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. This biography also traces her work, from her early watercolors, through her advertising and greeting card designs, plus her work on the "It's a Small World" Disney theme park attraction for the 1964 World's Fair. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Kathleen Karr
"An Appreciation" is a good subtitle for this outright, sometimes fawning testimonial/tribute to one of Walt Disney's longtime collaborators. Mary Blair did conceptual paintings, the background ideas from which Disney's animators took their character and color cues. A number of animated shorts and features are included, from Saludos Amigos (1943) through Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), and Peter Pan (1953). Her best-known work, though, is something to which no one attaches her name. Mary Blair designed the "It's a Small World" ride, which premiered at the 1964 World's Fair and went on to inescapable fame-and permanent groans over the ditty, which invades the mind like an alien worm-at worldwide Disney theme parks. Canemaker, a respected animation historian in his own right, does a workman-like job of showcasing Blair's career. He is helped by the impressive selection of original art compared with scenes from the finished movies themselves. All are beautifully reproduced in this art-quality book. It should be a useful volume for junior and high school art and film departments in highlighting career options for design students. 2003, Disney, Ages 12 up.
Home
