Hawaiʻi ʻōʻō, 1934

The drawing “Hawai’i ’O’o, 1934” is part of my Extinct Birds series of
drawings. The eight drawings in the series feature birds
that have gone extinct as a result of direct human interference. I
created the series to visually connect the demise of these bird species
with our own history. To give viewers a relatable reference in time when
when these bird species died out, I drew the birds dressed in clothing
that was fashionable during the year that they went extinct. I chose
several species that may not be widely known, like the Hawai’i ’O’o or
the Atitlán Grebe, as opposed to featuring only famous extinct birds
such as the Dodo.

The full series can be viewed here.

Brian R. Williams graduated from the Columbus College of Art and Design in 2003, where he studied Illustration, Fine Art and Art History. After school he worked as a graphic designer at the Columbus Museum of Art before moving to SRA/McGraw-Hill in 2006. He is currently a freelance designer whose clients have included Paul Werth Associates, The Longaberger Company, Portfolio Creative Staffing, YWCA Columbus and Honda. You can view his art and graphic design portfolio at www.brianrwilliams.com.