Marie Boyd’s exhibition at the Richland Library Main Branch, called A Quilled Garden, opened May 12th, 2023, and is on display until June 2nd, 2023. This exhibit includes original images and illustrations from her first picture book, Just a Worm, which was published March 14th by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.
Quilling is a style of collage art that uses strips of paper which are cut, folded, and or rolled, looped, crimped, curled, and coiled to create intricate patterns and designs. Kirkus Reviews called the quilled designs in Boyd’s book “stunning.”
Kirkus Reviews is not the only one to recognize Boyd’s prowess as an illustrator and children’s author, however; she has also been interviewed on The Sunday Show on MSNBC, and last month, she read Just a Worm to children at the White House Easter Egg Roll.
Just a Worm tells the story of Worm, who has been referred to as “just a worm” by two young children. Worm then embarks on a journey through the garden to prove that they are a whole lot more than that. They meet several other creatures along their journey, all of which bring about Worm’s own discovery of self-worth.
Cover Art from Just a Worm
Needless to say, we are very proud to boast that Marie Boyd is from our very own city of Columbia, SC. In addition to writing and quilling, Boyd is a professor of law at the University of South Carolina. She lives in Columbia with her husband, Jaime Harrison, and their two children.
This exhibition was made possible by the South Carolina Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as a generous award from the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund. The exhibition is located at 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201.
If you wish to learn more about Marie Boyd, or wish to view more samples of her work, you can visit her website. To listen to a “meet-the-author” recording with Boyd, visit the Teaching Books site.