Metal Bird Sculptures by Bill Reid

To find these sculptures, visit the Adelson Library at the end of the upstairs hallway.

Bill Reid became interested in artistic creation during his years in high school. He developed his talents at the Kansas City Art Institute for sculpture and then at Cranbrook Academy of Art for an MFA in sculpture. While there, his passion for metal and heat inspired him to work with an oxy acetylene torch, which he now uses in his works today. His favorite animals to create are birds, but he has also sculpted other subjects including narwhals, anteaters, and whales. Bill was personally asked by Mrs. Gene Johnson (for whom this building is named) to create a piece for the Lab. His response was the Ivory Billed Woodpecker with binoculars, now present in the upstairs hall across from the library entrance. Bill states that he "often puts nice clothes and shoes on them so they might get more respect."