Ruth Atkinson Holmes (1909 - December 5, 1981) was an American painter and philanthropist. She was a member of the "Summit Trio" in Summit, Mississippi in the 1960s.

Life

Holmes was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi in 1909. She was educated at the

Mississippi University for Women Mississippi University for Women (MUW or "The W") is a coeducational public university in Columbus, Mississippi. It was formerly named the Industrial Institute and College for the Education of White Girls and later the Mississippi State College ...

, Mississippi College,

Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private university, private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into ...

, and Southwest Mississippi Junior College. Holmes became an encaustic painter in her spare time. In the 1960s, she began exhibiting her work with

Bess Phipps Dawson Bess Phipps Dawson (1916 - April 15, 1994) was an American painter and gallerist. She was a member of the "Summit Trio" in Summit, Mississippi, in the 1960s, and she later owned an art gallery in McComb, Mississippi. Early life Bess Phipps Dawson ...

and

Halcyone Barnes Halcyone Barnes (March 31, 1913 – April 9, 1988) was an American collage artist and watercolor painter. Life Barnes was born on March 31, 1913, in Dallas, Texas. Barnes became a collage artist and watercolor painter. In the 1960s, she exhibite ...

in Summit, Mississippi. The three artists became known as the "Summit Trio." Holmes donated art to the

Mississippi Museum of Art The Mississippi Museum of Art is a public museum in Jackson, Mississippi. It is the largest museum in Mississippi. Location It is located at the corner of 380 South Lamar Street and 201 East Pascagoula Street in Jackson, Mississippi.Lee Ellis, ''F ...

, and African artwork to

Delta State University Delta State University (DSU) is a public university in Cleveland, Mississippi Cleveland is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 11,199 as of the 2020 United States Census. Cleveland has a large commercia ...

. Holmes was married twice: first to F. C. Atkinson, with whom she had a son, and secondly to Louie M. Holmes. She resided in Summit with her first husband and in McComb with her second husband, where she died on December 5, 1981. Her funeral was held at the J.J. White Memorial Presbyterian Church.

References

1909 births 1981 deaths People from Hazlehurst, Mississippi People from Summit, Mississippi People from McComb, Mississippi Mississippi University for Women alumni Mississippi College alumni Painters from Mississippi Philanthropists from Mississippi Tulane University alumni 20th-century American painters 20th-century American philanthropists 20th-century American women painters {{US-painter-1900s-stub