Marshalltown artist illustrates new children’s book ‘Polly, the Talking Collie’ | News, Sports, Jobs

Bousum’s artwork is also featured in the books “If Picasso Went to the Sea” (2016) and “If Picasso Went on Vacation” (2017), both by Eric Gibbons, as well as the 2021 book “Leonard & Mildred Play Hide and Seek at the Grimes Farm” by Carrie Grimes Barr.

Most of the illustrations for these projects were created using paste paper collages.

“The papers are painted with color paste. Then I structure the paper, dry it and then use it as collage pieces,” said Bousum. “There are tools for structuring. It’s just very versatile.”

For “Polly the Talking Collie,” Bousum created the images for the front and back covers, as well as 20 illustrations in the book. She said it took some time to try out different color combinations to make sure cornfields and the collie’s coat would look just right. The paper is then glued together in layers and mounted on 11-by-14-inch mats. She started the work last fall and completed it this spring.

Artist Julie Bousum

Bousum and McCormick’s paths crossed a few years ago in Marshalltown thanks to a mutual friend – Carrie Grimes Barr.

“I found out about Julie because she illustrated my best friend Carrie’s book. We were college sorority sisters and didn’t know we were both releasing our first children’s book in the same month. So when I came to Marshalltown to see Carrie’s launch at the nature center, I saw Julie’s work and actually bought two of her pieces of art,” McCormick said. “I loved her work and said the next time I do a children’s book I’m going to ask her if she has time, and she did.”

Polly is a real dog who lives on the McCormick family’s Iowa Century and Heritage Farm.

“We did this book a little bit backwards. Usually the illustrator gets a text and then the illustrator works from there, knowing what each page is going to say,” Bousum said. “But in this case, Denise said she hadn’t quite written the book yet, but she shared the rough plot and she started sending me photos of Polly and her farm and her grandchildren and her husband, and I started making collages. I made a few just to show her what they would look like. She was so pleased with them… We had almost all of them finished by the time she finished editing. We were done with everything early on.”

McCormick, who lives in Mount Pleasant and works as a success coach, wanted to write a book using the dog to teach children responsibility and provide a modern picture of life on an Iowa farm. She plans to provide an educator’s guide that will be available on her website when people buy the book.

“My husband was diagnosed with early-stage dementia and she is now an emotional support dog for him,” McCormick said. “The story starts with Polly coming to the farm and him teaching her everything she needs to know to be a good farm dog and now she’s teaching him things.”

McCormick said she has received positive feedback on her book so far.

“It warms my heart because it took me four years to figure out how to teach this without preaching to kids,” she added. “I was in my 50s before I started this personal development work, but I believe it has to start in childhood. So my goal is to eventually bring it into schools. Julie and I are going to team up and do workshops.”

The book is available on Amazon as a hardcover, paperback and e-book, with other platforms to follow.

Bousum taught art in the Marshalltown School District for 18 years and was an art teacher at Meskwaki Settlement School for six years. She is currently a substitute teacher in Marshalltown and teaches art to three middle school-aged students. She has also led workshops for the Amana Arts Guild. In addition to paste paper collages, she paints, draws, and makes pottery and works in a variety of media.

To learn more about Bousum’s artwork, visit her Facebook page, Quiet Cove Creations. She accepts commissions and can be reached at: [email protected].