In our first two episodes about the life and art of Disney legend, Mary Blair, we looked at

the lives of Mary and Lee Blair as they developed as young artists.

Both had moments of success with Mary winning contest and Lee receiving a gold medal for

his watercolor at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. Their initial ideas about art were deeply shaped by

art school, as well as by their instructors, particularly watercolorist, Millard Sheets, and

illustrator Pruitt Carter. When we left off last time, Lee had taken a job at the IWorks Animation Studio, where he worked as an entry-level in-betweener, something he referred to as prostituting his abilities to make a living.

And Mary, still taking an occasional class from Pruitt Carter at night was working, as Lee described

it, as a barmaid at a local theater.

Once they were married though, they both understood that their lives were changing and that

they would soon face new challenges.

And this is exactly where we pick up our story today.

During the early days of their marriage, Lee doted on Mary.

In letters he called her his little lover and sweetheart and darling wife.

His letters revealed that he thought of them as a team, somehow unified in both life and

art.

Darling Mine, I love you, he said, and think of you a great deal. You and I are going to work together

always. In reply, Mary echoed these sentiments. You are always with me, she wrote Lee. You are

going to help me always and everything I do. Help me to paint and draw and be a success with you, for I adore you and love you."

In another note while visiting her parents, she wrote, My darling, I see your beauty and everything.

I close my eyes and your sweet smile and face linger in my memory until it seems I'm with

you. That year was somewhat of a wonder period for the two

newlyweds. In the summer, they were asked to show their work together at the Ambassador Hotel,

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