Artist, Craftsman, Scholar

The  fine craftsmanship of Spokane artist Melville Holmes extends not only to his own paintings and drawings but to hands-on art, color, and design consultation for public and private spaces.  (Click on links to his paintings and watercolors in the sidebar.) As a traditionalist, he is especially adept at historic interior renovation. His knowledge and expertise in recommended conservation methods also qualifies him to repair many kinds of damaged art works. 

Paintings and Drawings

  • Still-lifes
  • Portraits
  • Landscapes
  • Figure paintings

As a progressive classicist, Holmes works in oils and watercolors, painting timeless subjects in a literate fashion after the tradition of the Old Masters.   His oil paintings are built upon multiple layers of paint, giving each painting a subtle realism with a handcrafted effect.  His  works inspire quiet contemplation.

Design Consultation

  • Color creation and consultation
  • Design solutions
  • Murals
  • Faux Finishing

Holmes distinguished himself firstly by restoring the decorative features of Spokane’s historic Davenport Hotel. Since then, he has added his special touch to the Davenport Tower, the Hotel Lusso and other historic buildings, business establishments and private homes.

Fine Art Restoration & Custom Framing

  • Restoration of fine paintings and many types of statuary and ornamental details
  • Custom framing

Holmes is knowledgeable of modern conservation methods for fine paintings and uses reversible conservation methods, wherever possible.

Scholarship

  • Published Papers
  • Lectures
  • Workshops

Since the early 1970s, Holmes has devoted himself to recovering the philosophical essence and craftsmanship of the Old Masters. In 1998 his work was exhibited in Seattle’s Frye Art Museum in the one-man show, “Old Master Dialogues.” The same year his research paper, “Amber Varnish and the Techniques of the Gentileschi,” was published as an appendix to Artemisia Gentileschi and the Authority of Art: Critical Reading and Catalogue Raisonné by R. Ward Bissell, published by Penn State University Press. Holmes is available for workshops and lectures.