To celebrate what would be the 100th birthday of Mary Blair, Google has replaced its official logo on its homepage today with a colorful doodle inspired by the late Disney artist. The doodle, titled “Mary Blair’s 100th Birthday,” features a caricature of the artist, which replaces the second G in the search engine’s logo. The remaining letters spelling Google are drawn in different colors and designs, as made famous by the artist.
Blair contributed artwork to such popular 1950s Disney films as ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Peter Pan.’ She left Disney animation in the mid-50s, but was later hired to work on such theme-park attractions as ‘It’s a Small World’ and the ‘Tomorrowland Promenade.’
Blair, who was born Mary Robinson in 1911 in McAlester, Oklahoma, attended the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. She soon made her way in an industry dominated by men. She joined the Disney studio in 1940, where she and her husband, Lee Everett Blair, created concept art for such films as ‘The Three Caballeros.’ When she left Disney, Blair did graphic work for major advertising campaigns. She also did illustrations for Simon and Schuster’s Golden Books for children.
Blair died of a cerebral hemorrhage on July 26, 1978. She earned a Disney Legend award 13 years after her death, in 1991.
Written by: Karen Benardello
