The Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge will be sponsoring a series of murals around Hawaii Island over the next few years to raise awareness and inform our community about our endangered forest birds and plants at both the Hakalau and Kona Forest Units of the Refuge.
In 2014, the Mauna Kea Forest Restoration Project started this artistic movement with the well-known Palila mural on Mamo Street in downtown Hilo painted by local artist, Kathleen Kam with funds provided by the American Bird Conservancy.
At the time, the goal of the mural was described as “to inspire and educate the community about the Palila and how the Department of Land and Natural Resources is preserving this special, native bird and the mamane-naio forest they depend upon.”
The ‘Akiapola‘au Mural, to help support DLNR’s Year of the Forest Birds, is being painted by Andrea Holmes, a young Texas muralist who specializes in birds. The mural will be installed this week at UH Hilo’s Science and Technology Building.
Holmes, who has a bachelor’s in arts and technology, has been a full-time artist since 2017, and is the host of Birdtober (a daily art challenge during October where she creates two prompt lists — national and international birds — one for each day). Last month, artists uploaded 13,500 social media posts using the hashtag #birdtober2024. Those who complete the challenge of submitting artwork each day receive Birdtober stickers and postcards.
Holmes is perhaps even better known as a muralist specializing in birds. This year, she created a new mural project “Wings Across the World” with a goal of creating 100 bird murals around the world. The Friends of Hakalau Forest contacted Holmes upon learning about the global project and formed a partnership, resulting in the upcoming ‘Akiapola‘au mural in Hilo.
In 2025 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the refuge, the Friends of Hakalau Forest will invite local artists to submit designs for its second mural on Hawaii Island.
One design will be selected to be painted on an appropriate wall, perhaps in Kailua-Kona.
In the meantime, please help us welcome Holmes to Hilo and stop by to visit the Science and Technology Building this week. And please follow the FOHF social media pages (FB and IG) for daily updates on the mural’s installation.
The Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge is a nonprofit organization established in 2006. Its mission is to support native Hawaiian forest habitats such as Hakalau Forest NWR in terms of restoring, protecting, and conserving biological diversity at both the Hakalau and Kona Forest Units.
