Blanco grew up in Albuquerque New Mexico. While pursuing a dual degree in oboe and history at
Oberlin College’s conservatory program, he did "a thesis on sartorial communication, about how people of color use their body as adornment and capital and power.” Blanco then attended
Brown University to study public humanities and in his final semester took an introduction to set design class. After a curatorial fellowship in the Tobin Collection of Theater Arts at the McNay Art Museum, Blanco pursued an MFA in design at the
Yale School of Drama. == References ==