 Mary Blair’s Tomorrowland murals opened on July 2, 1967. Along with with new attractions like the PeopleMover and Adventures Thru Inner Space, two new murals were unveiled.
The north mural on the AT&T Circle-Vision 3D building (now Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters) shows children from different nations dancing and making music. Ribbons above their heads symbolize global communications. The south mural on the Adventure Thru Inner Space building (now Star Tours), is about energy, with nods to solar energy, wind energy, water power, and fire. Each of the murals was 54 feet in length and at least 15.5 feet tall. The murals welcomed you as you walked into Tomorrowland. The south mural lasted until 1986, when it was changed to a space them in preparation of Star Tours opening (1987). The north mural survived until 1997 a victim of the 1998 New Tomorrowland project. The lighthearted, colorful and playful designs showed the genius of Mary Blair.  Even as a child, Mary Blair loved color, and all she wanted to do was to make art. But becoming an artist wasn't easy. Her parents worked hard to provide her paper and paints, and Mary worked hard to enter contests and earn a spot at a school for the arts. She even had to work hard to find her place at the Walt Disney Studios. But Walt was easily impressed by Mary. When she joined his trip to South America, Mary had never seen such color. She collected that color and used it in her concept art for Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan, and even the It's a Small World attraction at Disneyland. This beautifully illustrated picture book shares Mary's story, in all its inspiring flair. Includes an artist's note, a note from Mary's niece Maggie Richardson, and a list of books by and about Mary. Explore more behind-the-scenes stories:
    Mary Blair was an American artist, animator, and designer. She was prominent in producing art and animation for The Walt Disney Company, drawing concept art for such films as Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Song of the South and Cinderella. Blair also created character designs for enduring attractions such as Disneyland's It's a Small World, the fiesta scene in El Rio del Tiempo in the Mexico pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase, and an enormous mosaic inside Disney's Contemporary Resort. Several of her illustrated children's books from the 1950s remain in print, such as I Can Fly by Ruth Krauss. Blair was inducted into the group of Disney Legends in 1991. In 1967, Blair created mural art for the Tomorrowland Promenade. In 1968, Blair was credited as color designer on the film version of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. 1971: Her design of a 90-foot-high (27 m) mural remains a focal point of the Disney's Contemporary Resort hotel at Walt Disney World, which was completed for the resort's opening in 1971.   |
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