Rob Zinn

Rob Zinn attended Pratt Institute as a recipient of the First Place National Talent Scholarship and graduated in 1996 with numerous awards and distinctions. In 2000, he returned to Pratt as a Professor of Three-Dimensional Design in the Industrial Design Department, and spent over three years developing a process to teach expression and intent through the manipulation of form and color. Rob's non-traditional approach to the field of industrial design led to over eight years of consulting for award-winning product and furniture design studios and several gallery exhibitions, including the Thirty-Seventh Annual Juried Exhibition at the renowned Parrish Art Museum in Southampton, NY.

Seeking to pair talented fabricators with unique international design talent, he founded blankblank in 2004 after moving to Northern California. Over the past thirteen years, serving as curator, design firm, manufacturer and gallery, blankblank has produced a collection of furniture, lighting, environments and objects that is recognized and collected around the world. Rob was recently awarded the Editors' Award for Best Lighting at ICFF 2016 and Best of the Year 2016 Award for Decorative lighting by Interior Design Magazine.

Rob has developed Design Strategy curriculum for classes and workshops for UC Davis Extension Center's International Business Certificate Program in Innovation & Sustainability, as well as taught 3-D Object Design for the UC Davis Design Department.

Rob currently lives and works in Courtland, California, a small agricultural community in the North Delta. He utilizes his hands, machines, technology, and skilled makers and designers to create objects that challenge the notions of art, design, need and desire.