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As a native of Northumbria, Walter Holmes has a wide knowledge of Newcastle upon Tyne and the North East of England. Consequently he has made many paintings of Newcastle, Durham and Sunderland and dramatic paintings of Northumbrian castles at Warkworth, Alnwick, Dunstanburgh, Bamburgh, and Lindisfarne (Holy Island). He loves to draw in fishing harbours, resulting in a portfolio of evocative paintings of North Shields, Seaton Sluice, Cullercoats, Whitley Bay, Tynemouth, Craster, Seahouses, Berwick and Eyemouth.
Apart from a few years in London, Walter has always lived in the North East (Wallsend, Whitley Bay and Ponteland). He knew the local rivers, (Tyne, Wear, Blyth and Coquet) when they bustled with the old industries of ship-building and repairing - tugs moving big ships around, colliers moored at staithes and the fishing boats, of North Shields.
From the 1960’s onwards Walter’s drawings and paintings cover the period of the decline of the riverside indusries and the redevelopment of the Newcastle and Gateshead quayside. Today his paintings illustrate how the iconic Tyne Bridges blend in seamlessly with The Millennium Bridge, The Sage Gateshead and Newcastle’s stunning Law Courts. The Newcastle/Gateshead riverside has hosted the Cutty Sark Tall Ships event since the mid 1980’s providing yet another vibrant, exciting subject for Walter to work his unmistakable style upon.
Walter Holmes also works in the Cotswolds, Hampshire and Yorkshire where he has exhibited and sold successfully through galleries. Further afield, Walter regularly visits Venice where he has been inspired to produce paintings depicting the Venetian scene, notably The Grand Canal, St. Marks, the decaying architecture and the hidden backwaters that surprise and delight the unsuspecting visitor.
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