The 2011 Historic Preservation Book Prize, sponsored by the University of Mary Washington Center for Historic Preservation, has been awarded to Line, Shade and Shadow by Lois Olcott Price. Oak Knoll Press, HES & DE GRAAF Publishers, and the Winterthur Museum published Line, Shade and Shadow in 2010.
Line, Shade and Shadow is both a beautifully illustrated exploration of the evolution of architectural drawing craft and an innovative discussion of the preservation of these drawings. In light of the increasing reliance on computers and computer-aided techniques, this volume provides a timely and welcome reminder of a fading craft. This connection to the history of architectural drawings’ brings to mind the original intent of architects and builders. Drawing is a creative act and in architectural drawings one can see not only the record of the buildings and landscapes but also the creative process that brought them about. In addition, architectural drawings can be the last vestige of buildings and landscapes lost and therefore are invaluable preservation resources. Beyond its many merits as the definitive resource guide for conserving and preserving architectural drawings, this volume is a gracefully formed and gorgeously illustrated work in its own right. The result of decades of research, Lois Olcott Price’s fine book makes the process of drawing come alive as a celebration of the creativity of the draftsmen.
In making its selection, the jury focused on books that break new ground or contribute to the intellectual vitality of the preservation movement in theory, philosophy or method. Entries may come from any of the disciplines that relate to the theory or practice of historic preservation and nominations may be from any source.
Members of the Jury for the Historic Preservation Book Prize for 2011 were Jury Chair Andréa Livi Smith, Director of the Center for Historic Preservation, University of Mary Washington; Christopher Baas, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture, Ball State University; Clyde Carpenter, Professor of Architecture and Historic Preservation, University of Kentucky; Dennis Pogue, Vice-President for Preservation, Historic Mount Vernon; Michael Spencer, Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation, University of Mary Washington; and Cameron Henry ‘11, student juror, University of Mary Washington.
The Jury seeks nominations for the 2012 Historic Preservation Book Prize. To be eligible a book must be published between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. Letters of nomination from any source and six copies of the nominated book must be postmarked by February 15, 2012 and sent to Historic Preservation Book Prize, Center for Historic Preservation, University of Mary Washington, 1301 College Avenue, Combs 134, Fredericksburg, VA 22401-5300.
For more information, contact the Center for Historic Preservation at 540.654.1316.
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