Betsy Holmes

Betsy Holmes (b. 1956, Deering, NH) is a plein air oil painter with a passion for nature – the seasons, weather, light… all of it is inspiration for her work. Recognizing that we are often too busy to notice the beauty around us, Betsy creates paintings to remind us of the splendor that is our environment- at all the times of the year. Education is another passion; Betsy is the retired Library Director at New Hampshire Institute of Art and continues to teach art history and plein air painting at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UNH. Betsy holds a BFA and MFA in Painting; she is a juried member of the New Hampshire Art Association.

Betsy’s work was featured in ‘Dreamlands,’ on view April 12-27, 2025.

“Adopt the Pace of Nature: Ralph Waldo Emerson, in his essay Education, wrote “Leave this military hurry and adopt the pace of Nature. Her secret is patience.” While he was specifically referring to the regimentation of public schooling, his words are apt for today’s difficult times where we are inundated with conflicting reports, anxiety, and vast uncertainty in various quarters of our lives. In New Hampshire we are fortunate in our conserved land, providing direct access to an un-plugged and undeveloped environment. If we can patiently slow down and wait for a bird to appear; to consider the bark on a tree or the flow of a stream, the immediacy of the moment will allow some level of peace. We can access the wonders of Nature, become one with them, breathe. My work in this exhibit is an interpretation of my moments of patience and bliss, as I have tried to slow down and adopt the pace of Nature.”