Google is celebrating the 100th birthday of Mary Blair, the late Disney artist whose colorful style became synonymous with some of the ‘50s most cherished and beloved animated films. “Alice in Wonderland,” “Cinderella” and “Peter Pan” all featured her work, and even though Blair left Disney in the mid 1950s, she was hired later by Walt Disney himself to work on Disney’s early theme park attractions.  Mary Blair’s playful and colorful artwork inspired a generation of artists who followed in her footsteps, and the use of her work in early animation laid the groundwork for modern, CGI animation such as that we see from Disney Pixar today.

The Google Doodle for today seeks to highlight her unique eye for color, and playfully kinetic design. She was born with the name Mary Robinson in Oklahoma in 1911, and attended L.A.’s esteemed Chouinard Art Institute. Her husband, Lee Everett Blair, and brother-in-law, the animator Preston Blair, were also artists.  Art was very much life to Blair.

In 1991 Blair received a “Disney Legend” award, thirteen years after her death.  Her designs continue to influence artists the world over.  Today, thanks to Google, everyone can look back on and honor the life of this talented artist who was also one of the first women to make great strides in a field predominately occupied by men.  Today, nearly as many women as men work as digital artists and animators, thanks to her influence on young women interested in exploring that as a career path.  Mary Blair will not soon be forgotten.  Many of the classic Disney films featuring her work can still be seen on direct tv.