Summary
Robert Blesse is Professor of Art Emeritus, retiring after serving 28 years at the University from 1986-2014, where he was Professor of Art and Director of Black Rock Press. Robert E. Blesse was born in Oakland, California, and obtained an M.A. in English from California State University, Chico, and a Master of Library and Information Science from UCLA. He was director of the Special Collections Department in the University Libraries for 25 years and also director of the Black Rock Press. This internationally recognized book arts program teaches the history, art and craft of finely printed books and publishes hand-printed, limited-edition books, broadsides and editions of contemporary literature. In 1999, he received a Nevada Governor's Arts Award for Lifetime Contribution to the Arts. He continued as director of the Black Rock Press after his position and the Black Rock Press were transferred to the Department of Art, Art History and Design, designing and producing limited-edition books and teaching book arts courses until his retirement in the spring of 2014.
Education
- Master of Library Science, University of California - Los Angeles, 1975
- Master of Arts, California State University - Chico, 1972
- Bachelor of Arts, California State University - Chico, 1970