robin holder was born in Chicago in 1952 and grew up in an activist family in New York City, where she became aware of racial, class, and ethnic dynamics from an early age. She learned to explore these themes through art while attending LaGuardia High School for Music and Art and later studied at The Art Students League of New York for two years. After spending five years living in Mexico, Ecuador, and Holland, she returned in 1977 to join Robert Blackburn’s Printmaking studio as an artist and assistant director, refining her unique printmaking technique.
For the next three decades, holder worked as an art educator while maintaining her artistic practice, gaining recognition through numerous exhibitions, commissions, and community arts projects.In this excerpt, robin holder knew Robert Blackburn from childhood. She reflects on her experience as the printshop administrator, describing Bob as someone who created a “safe” space for people of color to create their work. She remembers him as a “humanitarian” who fostered relationships and was generous with his resources.
