Awa Press Young Designer of
the Year Award
Shortlist 2009
 | Spencer Levine ‘Books become part of people’s lives in a way that not many other things I’ve designed can. They not only have to please the editors and authors, the covers have to stand out and sell in a very crowded marketplace. They have to be, to a degree, timeless. They differ from most of my other design projects in terms of shelf life. Designing something that can have that timeless quality, hit a specific market and please all involved is a challenge.’ |
Judges’ comments Something of a clear winner, Spencer Levine demonstrates a striking facility with space, type and concept. Levine has tackled a wide range of genres extremely well, producing innovative solutions for difficult concepts, and not being afraid to try bold ideas. While we only had examples of his cover work, his deftness of touch, bold typography and special eye make him a worthy recipient of the inaugural Young Designer of the Year.
 | Keely O’Shannessy ‘Book design brings together many of the things I love – reading, researching, conceptual/creative thinking and also an amazing freedom to experiment with a diverse range of mediums like typography, photography, paint, print and illustration.’ |
Judges’ comments Keely O’Shannessy’s passion for books screams from her work, as does her unwavering attention to detail; every inch, from cover to spine to back, is beautifully realised.
 | Carolyn Lewis ‘Book design is where I am most comfortable and happy. Compared to commercial designs, books need restraint – they need to catch the reader’s eye and hold it there, working quietly to carry the author’s ideas.’ |
Judges’ comments Carolyn Lewis has achieved much with a limited subject matter and shows enormous promise for the future. Sharp, clean design and excellent typography are hallmarks of her work.
