Robinson will be responsible for designing and developing special commissions and gifts, retail products and one-of-a-kind pieces that will help define Rookwood Pottery as it expands. Previously, he participated in design projects for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the (Charles and Ray) Eames Office in Pacific Palisades, California; and Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. He also served as Designer-in-Residence at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich, England, and as director of exhibits and design at the Chicago Academy of Sciences.
Robinson's affiliation with Rookwood Pottery began in 2007, with the architectural planning and design of its studios in Over-the-Rhine. Since then, he developed a variety of art pottery for Rookwood, including the redesigned tennis trophy for the Western & Southern Open in 2012, named the Rookwood Cup.
"The history of Rookwood is legendary and still inspires all of us who are a part of it," Robinson said. "I want to challenge people's expectations of what the company might be in the 21st century, while honoring its origins."
Robinson is the third key hire at Rookwood since September, following Niqué Swan as Director, Business Development, and Rick Wiley as Director, Graphic Design