Melanie Birk

Melanie Birk is an author specializing in the subjects of architecture and historic preservation. She wrote the book, Frank Lloyd Wright and the Prairie, which showcases Wright's first major contribution to American design: the Prairie House. As publications director at the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust for nearly 10 years, she served as editor for many titles, including Frank Lloyd Wright's Fifty Views of Japan. This book assembled for the first time the photographs Wright took during his seminal trip to Japan, reproductions of his extraordinary Japanese print collection, and scholarly essays interpreting the influence of Japanese art and culture on his work.

Melanie Birk holds a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Her career includes posts as a freelance writer and at other non-profit groups, including the Main Street Program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. After studying fiction writing at the University of Chicago, she began work on a children's book and on a collection of short stories. She is now a freelance editor and fine artist living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with her husband and three children. For information on Melanie's artwork, please visit her website www.melaniebirk.com.