John Canemaker Presents
The Art and Flair of Mary Blair and Alice in Wonderland
December 5–6, 2003
Mary Blair (1911–1978) was one of Walt Disney’s most
brilliant conceptual designers, helping define the look of such classics
as Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), and Peter
Pan (1953).
She also brought her distinctive, colorful style to children’s
books, advertisements, theatrical set designs, and theme park attractions,
and the deceptively naïve style of her commercial artwork belied
great visual sophistication in everything from color choices to composition.
Although much of her art veers away from naturalism toward abstraction
and Surrealism, she was one of Walt Disney’s favorite artists.
Animation filmmaker John Canemaker, author of The Art and Flair
of Mary Blair (Disney Editions, 2003), gives an illustrated lecture
on the artist. A rare 35mm screening of Alice in Wonderland and a
book signing will follow.
Organized by Joshua Siegel, Assistant Curator, Department of Film
and Media. Special thanks to Dick Cook, Chairman, Walt Disney Studios;
Howard E. Green, Vice President, Walt Disney Studio Communications;
and Wendy Lefkon, Executive Editor, Disney Editions.
. Illustrated
lecture by John Canemaker on the designer’s life and career,
featuring clips from Disney films. Approx. 60 min.
. 1951. USA. Produced by Walt Disney. Directed
by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske. Color and styling
by Mary Blair. Blair went for abstraction and collagelike patterning
in her concept paintings for Alice, most dazzlingly in the “March
of the Cards” sequence, with its dynamic staging and palette
and its play of shadow and light. 75 min.
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