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The Other Bob

OCTOBER 21, 2006
R.O.Blechman self portrait
My first real job in the art world was working for the amazing R.O.Blechman. A brilliant man with an incredible wit.
His studio -The Ink Tank was probably the top animation studio at the time. He surrounded himself with the best talent from all over the world.
I was lucky, R.O. gave me opportunities that looking back I see are rare. The first day on the job and I was sending a package to Maurice Sendak. By the time I left, I had met practically every illustrator working today. At least that's how it felt. Joost Swarte, Art Spiegleman, Ed Koren, Hilary Knight, Seymour Chwast, and too many to mention. I got to hang out with Tomi Ungerer. I was alone with him his first time back to his studio on 42nd St. We drank a case of Guinness together and he showed me around. I rented two mannequins for him and he took them in a carriage around central park. It ended at the Ink Tank with him drinking champagne from Betsy Johnson's high heels. I'm sure some of you passed through there. Everyone has an Ink Tank story. And the center of each one is Bob... R.O. Blechman. To do this experience justice would take a thousand posts. Cheers to R.O. Blechman and the Ink Tank. One of the last vestiges for illustration to be treated as fine art.
© 2024 David Goldin