Illustrator draws on experience

This is the first time an illustrator has kicked off the Summer Reading Program.
By SARAH POULTON
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Tim Bowers, illustrator of more than 20 children's books, made a special presentation to kick off the Summer Reading Program at the Boardman Library.
Bowers, of Granville, Ohio, specializes in cartooning animals. He has loved animals since he was a child and remembers that some of his first sketches were of bears and African elephants. This inspiration came from visiting his grandparents, who had so many animals visiting them was like going to the zoo, Bowers said. Bowers said that cartooning has been his passion for as long as he can remember.
During his presentation Tuesday, he took simple shapes like circles, squares and triangles, and showed the children how to tell stories using funny animal characters.
"I love to tell stories with my artwork," Bowers said. "The fun thing about cartoons is you can make up all sorts of funny hair styles and details."
Julian Barlow, 9, from New Waterford, attended the presentation and said that he really likes Bower's illustration of "Little Whistle." Julian brought his own paper and pencils to the demonstration in hopes of learning a few things from Bowers.
"[I liked] pretty much everything," Julian said. "Someday, I either want to work for Milton Bradley or be an illustrator. I think that both would be fun."
Becoming a children's book illustrator was not Bowers' only career choice. Bowers worked for Hallmark Cards, where he helped launch the Shoebox Greetings card line, before illustrating.
"As a little boy, I didn't know I was going to grow up to be an author or illustrator," Bowers said. "When it came time to pick a career, I was in the art room half of the day. It was like natural selection."
A prodigy
When it comes to picking a career, 7-year-old Kendra Beary from Austintown seems to be following in Bowers' path.
"I want to be an artist when I grow up," Kendra said. "I love drawing. I love reading, too. I'm going to read for as long as I can, at least 12 hours a day."
While Bowers emphasized the importance of every line and every dot drawn in a cartoon, he also encouraged the children to use their imaginations and have fun with their work. He said that one minute he can draw a bear, and with a few lines on the paper, can turn the bear into a woodchuck.
"Ideas come from all over the place," Bowers said. "They come from pets, imagination and from out of nowhere."
Jo Nolfi plans the summer reading program for the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. She said funding from the Ruth Bower Fund, Friends of Library and the Community Foundation made Bowers' presentation possible.
"This is the first time we have been able to fund an illustrator to kick off our summer reading program," Nolfi said.
Bowers also made an appearance Tuesday at the Austintown Library. On Thursday, he will be at the Main Library at 11 a.m. and the Poland Library at 2 p.m. This program is open to parents and children up to seventh grade.