Marion Vannett Ridgway Award
Encyclopedia
A Memorial Award
Marion Vannett Ridgway was an artist's representative in the mid-20th century New York publishing community. According to The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
Ms. Ridgway was involved in the publishing industry for over 40 years. Elizabeth Park, a close friend, was said to have believed Ridgway was among the first women in this field. Ms. Park's wish was to continue the spirit of generosity and encouragement which Marion gave her young clients as they began their careers in publishing.
Ridgway's office was located at 299 Madison Avenue in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and represented commercial artists, photographers and writers for publishers and advertising companies. She wrote 11 books for children early in her career. Ridgway died on May 27, 1991 in Southbury, Connecticut
Southbury, Connecticut
Southbury is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, USA. Southbury is located north of Oxford and Newtown; it also is east of Brookfield. Southbury's population was 18,567 at the 2000 census....
of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. She was 88 years old.
Origination
Created in 1992 as a memorialMemorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
award, the first reception was held May 25, 1993 at the Doral Hotel in New York City. Attendees included Illustrator Ian Schoenherr and Artist/Author Mark Shasha
Mark Shasha
Mark Shasha is an American artist. He is also an author, illustrator and educator. His subjects are often familiar and are usually inspired by the textures and light found along the New England coast where he lives and works....
among others.
Judging Process
Several judges are selected by the administrator and awards are distributed in May of each year. The awards consist of a First Prize and two or three Honor Awards. The administrator since 2006 has been Christine Alfano. Earlier administrators include Elizabeth Park, Dennis Nolan and Mark Shasha.The award is not for profit and is funded by the Elizabeth Park Trust. As of this writing (Jan 2009) the address of the award is listed as 4205 Drew Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 554101
----
Some previous winners of The Marion Vannett Ridgway Award include:
- 1992, Ian Schoenherr - Illustrator - "Newf" (Philomel Books, ISBN 978-0399218750)
- 1992, Mark ShashaMark ShashaMark Shasha is an American artist. He is also an author, illustrator and educator. His subjects are often familiar and are usually inspired by the textures and light found along the New England coast where he lives and works....
- Author and Illustrator - "Night of the MoonjelliesNight of the MoonjelliesNight of the Moonjellies is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Mark Shasha.The book was inspired by the author's memories of working at his grandmother's hot dog stand by the sea in New London, Connecticut in the 1970s...
" (Simon & SchusterSimon & SchusterSimon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
) - 1994, John Coy, Author - "Night Driving" (Henry Holt & Company, ISBN 0805029311)
- 2000, Jerome Lagarrigue, Illustrator, "My Man Blue" (Dial)
- 2001, Ian FalconerIan FalconerIan Woodwark Falconer is an American illustrator, children's book author, and costume and set designer for the theater. He has created 30 covers for The New Yorker as well as other publications...
- Author and Illustrator, "Olivia" (Athenaeum)
----
References:
- The New York Times, Marion Vannett Ridgway, Artist's Agent, 88 - p. 25, May 29, 1991
- The Marion Vannett Ridgway Awards - History. (From the Award Website)
- 1 The Marion Vannett Ridgway Awards - Contact. (From the Award Website)