Episode 18: The Art of Creativity, Community and Collecting with Elizabeth Moss

In this inspiring second half of Elise’s conversation with Elizabeth Moss, owner of the Elizabeth Moss Galleries, we explore the intersection of art, commerce, and community in Maine. Liz shares how her dream of building a cultural salon has blossomed into two vibrant gallery spaces—one in Portland and one in Falmouth—where visual art, music, and conversation create an elegant third space for connection.

Elise and Liz discuss:

• How Liz curates exhibitions and builds relationships with artists and collectors
• The power of art as investment and how Maine-based artist Lynn Drexler's work has soared from $10,000 to over $1 million
• The role of galleries as “third spaces” in a post-COVID world
• How Elizabeth is championing emerging artists like Alice Jones, Elijah Ober, and Nick Benfey
• Why collectors—from first-time buyers to seasoned investors—trust her eye
• Liz’s view on elegance, memory, and the transformational power of standing before the right painting

This episode is a love letter to art, Maine, and the magic that happens when passion meets purpose.

🔗 Links & Mentions:

🖼️ Elizabeth Moss Galleries
Website: www.elizabethmossgalleries.com
Instagram: @elizabethmossgalleries
Facebook: Elizabeth Moss Galleries on Facebook

🎨 Artists Highlighted in This Episode

• Lynn Drexler
  Lynn Drexler Foundation
  Article: “The Rediscovery of Lynn Drexler” – ArtNews
• Lois Dodd
   
• Katherine Bradford
   
• Billy Gerard Frank
  Billy Gerard Frank – Official Site
• Samira Abbassy
   
• Gail Spaien
  Gail Spaien – Artist Page at ICON Contemporary Art
• Emerging Maine Artists
  • Alice Jones
  • Elijah Ober
  • Nick Benfey

Bonus: Learn about the gallery’s musical evenings, including a recent string quartet performance that created an unforgettable blend of music and visual art.

Join the Gallery Community:

Want to be invited to gallery openings and artist talks?
 ➡️ Sign up for the newsletter to receive exclusive invitations and exhibition updates.

✨ Quote of the Episode:

“Elegance is about recognizing and expressing beauty. It’s intentional. It’s style, care, and creative spirit with a heavy dose of emotional intelligence.” – Elizabeth Moss

Connect with Elise

🌐 Website & Listings: Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty
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Have Questions or Topic Suggestions, e-mail Elise at

• Elise@EliseKiely.com
  
  

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Please remember this podcast is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not create an attorney client or real estate advisor client relationship. Please reach out to me directly if I can assist you in your real estate journey.

Transcript

Elise Kiely: [00:00:00] Welcome to Elegant Maine Living, where we explore the beauty, charm and sophistication of life in Maine. My name is Elise Kiely, your host, and a real estate advisor with Legacy Properties Sotheby's International Realty. On each episode, we dive into Maine's residential real estate market, sharing key trends, inventory, insights, and notable sales, while also highlighting the extraordinary lifestyle that makes Maine such a special place to live, work, and play.

Elise Kiely: Whether you're seeking a coastal retreat, a vibrant community, or an escape into nature, elegant main living is your guide to the home and experiences that define our great state. Let's get started. So we're back for the [00:01:00] second half of my conversation with Elizabeth Moss, who I refer to as Liz, owner and operator of two fabulous art galleries, one in Falmouth, one in Portland, the Elizabeth Moss Art Galleries.

Elise Kiely: And in our first episode we talked about Liz's path to Maine, her love of Monhegan, and the significant change and respect that some women artists in the fifties and sixties are now getting as a result of perhaps Me Too or other political events and just, it's really interesting to see that change. And Liz, now I want to turn to your galleries and I've always been so impressed by your presentation in the galleries, the diversity of art that you show, and also the community that you create, the, you have so many events of opening nights and featuring artists that I think that's so important. Was that intentional when you had that picked that gallery 

Elizabeth Moss: space [00:02:00] abs? Yes. It was intentional. I'm gonna hark back to my dream of. When I was 13 years old of either working in a museum or having an art gallery, and part of that dream was creating like a salon where interesting people gathered artists were there and collectors and writers and musicians and just like a cultural mecca of fascinating people.

Elizabeth Moss: And so I think after almost 21 years now in business. I've grown that little kernel of an idea into something that does exist, and it gives me great pleasure to be in those spaces with that amalgamation of interesting people and conversations, and I really get a lot of energy from it. 

Elise Kiely: It's really interesting. Is that, are most of the events centered around an opening that you have at the gallery or, 

Elizabeth Moss: yes. Most are centered [00:03:00] around exhibition openings with guest artists. I have one coming up with Francis Hines who's gonna come up from New York and have an artist come conversation with me.

Elizabeth Moss: But we are also having we had a string quartet play in the Portland space a couple months ago, and I think it was a very magical evening where the art on the walls and the music coalesced into just a special night. That sounds, 

Elise Kiely: that sounds lovely. 

Elizabeth Moss: Yeah. 

Elise Kiely: And if listeners wanted to get on the invitation list, is this an exclusive 

Elizabeth Moss: Oh no 

Elise Kiely: list.

Elise Kiely: How would they get an invitation? You 

Elizabeth Moss: just go to the website and sign up for the newsletter and you'll get invitations via email. 

Elise Kiely: That's, and I highly encourage it. I have not gotten to as many as I would like to. That will change, particularly after this. 

Elizabeth Moss: Everyone has very busy lives, and I completely understand that.

Elise Kiely: But it's, it, you know what it is, Liz? It's like an oasis. It's a break from the hustle and [00:04:00] bustle to be surrounded by the beautiful art that you have. And you have paintings. You have some sculpture, 

Elizabeth Moss: some sculpture. 

Elizabeth Moss: Some 

Elise Kiely: photography paintings. Those the vast majority, mostly 

Elizabeth Moss: paintings, mostly oil paintings.

Elizabeth Moss: Yeah, that's correct. 

Elise Kiely: And it's a beautiful way to spend an evening. 

Elizabeth Moss: Yeah. 

Elise Kiely: And you get to, actually, one of the nice things about Maine is you get to actually interact with the artists and the creative sources. Of source of these of the different pieces of art, 

Elizabeth Moss: right? And we have visiting artists from really all over the world.

Elizabeth Moss: I have featured artists like Billy Gerard Frank, who was a Venice bi alley, multiple time artists. And Samira Abbasi, who is Iranian born British, educated and resides in New York for the last 20 years, I believe. And she's really an international toast of the international art world right now. And Gail Spain [00:05:00] is a artist who's gotten a lot of international recognition in London and will soon be having a fantastic solo exhibition in Dubai.

Elise Kiely: That's very exciting. Yeah. And how do you make these connections, Liz? I know you travel quite a bit. You're down in New York quite a bit. 

Elizabeth Moss: Yeah, I think the thing is, it's like anybody, it's people sharing with you. A friend of a friend. Oh, what about this? I actually met Billy Ard Frank through an art dealer named Elaine Wexler, who I've been friends with for probably 30 years.

Elizabeth Moss: And. And then Billy introduced me to Samira, who's in the same studio building he's in, in New York. They're both at the Elizabeth Foundation, which is a storied very important studio building that's existed for 30 years, I believe. 

Elise Kiely: And Liz, how do you, as in terms of the business of the art gallery, you represent artists and show their work?

Elise Kiely: Yeah. And [00:06:00] people then can come to your gallery, look on your website. Fi find what speaks to them. And then do you interact with the client about where the art will be shown? What does it mean to them? Suggest other artists, other pieces. 

Elizabeth Moss: Oh yeah. Absolutely. I'm boots on the ground as much as I can be, and I work with collectors.

Elizabeth Moss: I work with collectors in state, out of state. I like to have long-term relationships with collectors. I have some that I've worked with for 15 years or more. I. I work with a lot of designers. And we are able to share the work through the website, but we're also able to, if you were to send us a photograph of your living room, we could Photoshop a couple ideas into that space for you so you can purchase remotely as well.

Elizabeth Moss: And more and more people want to buy, they're willing to buy remotely. It's rather incredible, but I can say that I've. [00:07:00] Sold, a hundred thousand dollars paintings, sight unseen to people all over the country. Liz, I'm 

Elise Kiely: crazy. I have the same experience. I have people buying.

Elise Kiely: Million multimillion dollar homes. Sight unseen until 30 days after closing. Yeah. But I, and I think that people are more comfortable with that. 

Elizabeth Moss: They are, they're more comfortable with photography and video and zoom. And I do, I will say for both of us, I'm sure that our longevity and reputation go a long way in them feeling confident.

Elise Kiely: And that's so important. Yeah. That's, speaking of Zoom, I remember, I don't know if you remember this right in COVID, when everything was on Zoom, I realized I needed zoom art. Oh. Behind me. I don't do well with the virtual background thing. No, 

Elizabeth Moss: but I needed, neither needed a 

Elise Kiely: beautiful piece of art.

Elise Kiely: And you came to the rescue. 

Elizabeth Moss: That was easy. I think you got a piece from by Nina Jerome, if I'm remembering correctly. I did. Yeah. It 

Elise Kiely: was beautiful. It was [00:08:00] beautiful. And the nice thing. In my mind about having you come to my house and install a piece of art, is that I'll say, Liz, what about this wall?

Elise Kiely: What do you think would go well over there? 

Elizabeth Moss: Oh, I've got lots of ideas, Elise, I know you do. Don't 

Elise Kiely: you worry. I know one visit later and I'm wondering what just happened. I have almost new art. My husband comes home and says, what did you have Liz over again? Has Liz been over? That's 

Elizabeth Moss: Liz Is expensive.

Elizabeth Moss: A visit from Liz and you're in trouble. 

Elise Kiely: It's worth it. It is worth it. Thank you. Thank you. The value is definitely there and I'm so appreciative. Liz, we were talking about the gallery as a community space. Can you talk a little bit more about your intent behind that? 

Elizabeth Moss: Sure. I, there's. Been a big shift in people's social practices post COVID.

Elizabeth Moss: Before COVID, people did not hesitate to gather for almost any social event. Now people are much more deliberate and intentional with what they're willing to do, but. [00:09:00] Also, there's a young group of adults who are looking for spaces to feel connected to with other people and to connect to, and also to, I think, develop their own identity.

Elizabeth Moss: And so we are seeing that. The gallery serves as a very important quote, unquote, third space, which is not your home, not your work, but where else do you go? And that's a third tier, but very important space to have an exchange with like-minded people maybe learn something and just feel comfortable.

Elizabeth Moss: But also, and I remember being a young professional in DC I was probably 22 at the time, I was working for the sugar lobby, but I wanted to be in an art gallery and I would go down a few blocks to 18th Street and go [00:10:00] to a gallery there. And the woman knew I wasn't gonna be buying anything, obviously.

Elizabeth Moss: But she was always very welcoming, very professional, and shared information about the artist with me. And it helped me create a sense of I'm on the right path and I can maybe be a part of that world at some point. I'd like to be a part of that world. I had a vision of. Trying to someday being a glamorous museum gal or something like that.

Elizabeth Moss: And now you're, 

Elise Kiely: Liz let's turn a moment to. The changes that you've seen in the clientele purchasing art in your galleries, have you seen a significant change in the last five to seven years? Pre COVID, post COVID? 

Elizabeth Moss: Yes. Significant change in the last five years, mostly because of the success of Lynn Drexler's legacy, and so I've really been.

Elizabeth Moss: An integral part of that [00:11:00] building of the marketplace, and collaborate with other international galleries who represent her estate. And but I, my sales points have gone from on the high end. Pre five years ago, 50,000 to now over a million dollars. So that's really exciting. That's incredible.

Elizabeth Moss: And in Maine? In Maine, that's right. Big things happen in Maine. People wake up and 

Elise Kiely: quietly 

Elizabeth Moss: they, but 

Elise Kiely: quietly. That's right. But it's, it takes 20 years. Yeah, it's not overnight. Overnight 

Elizabeth Moss: success Overnight. 21 years later. Later years later. 

Elise Kiely: Yeah. Exactly. But that's incredible. When you were at a $50,000 price point, which is still a significant, it is purchase for a piece of art to over a million dollars.

Elizabeth Moss: Over a million dollars. It is really 

Elise Kiely: in five years is just extraordinary. 

Elizabeth Moss: And one of that, I have such a really [00:12:00] proud feeling to know that people who collected the work from me for $10,000 or $20,000, they now and were introduced to the artist and said, here are the reasons why that I think you should acquire it.

Elizabeth Moss: I believe in it. There's the history of it. There's the provenance that we talked about, and then their acquisitions are now worth hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars. So now the same paintings they bought three years ago are worth much more than their house that sits on the beach or a cliff on the edge of the Maine coast.

Elise Kiely: That's really incredible. And to be part of that, I have the same feeling when I represent somebody who I know is buying a property that is gonna add so much joy to their life and their lifestyle. And I get a thrill about that. Then when I see the appreciation it's just very privileged. It's fairly validating.

Elise Kiely: It [00:13:00] is validating. And my hat's off to you, Liz, because you believed in this, in Lynn Drexel, an artist when she was not as well known, but well respected in her time. And to be part of that I, and to be a big part of that and almost be a source of the appreciation and the recognition has got to be very rewarding.

Elizabeth Moss: It definitely is a highlight of my career. Yes, because I've sold at least 60 paintings in the 10 to $50,000 range that those collectors of mine now own, and they are now worth, 200 to $800,000. That's amazing. It's really. Phenomenal. And it's like a five, 

Elise Kiely: 10 x return. 

Elizabeth Moss: Exactly. And it wasn't motivated out of investment.

Elizabeth Moss: It was motivated out of a love, but there was some consideration of value, retained value. And the markers for understanding retained value have to do with [00:14:00] provenance history, exhibition history, and museum collecting. 

Elise Kiely: And have you seen, speaking of investment, have you seen a clientele that's coming in looking for an investment to be a significant reason for the purchase?

Elise Kiely: Or is it all just authentic love of the painting? 

Elizabeth Moss: I'm seeing a lot more of that in the last few years. Are you, because of my mix with Drexler and also Judith Rothschild and, beyonce Wheeler coming up. So I'm looked at as somebody that you know would be worth speculating with, I guess we would say.

Elise Kiely: And now people are listening. More people want your opinion of who's the new up and coming artist. 

Elizabeth Moss: Yes. Yeah. 

Elise Kiely: Yeah. And have you seen demographically, your clientele, in terms of age bracket, are you seeing a big change? Is it mostly baby boomers, empty nesters? Young professionals 

Elizabeth Moss: as far as investment, I would say it's an older demographic.

Elise Kiely: Makes sense. 

Elizabeth Moss: Yeah. [00:15:00] But at the same time, I'm trying to groom a young demographic of collectors and to do that I am, I'm very much advocating young artists that came outta Boden. Oh wow. Alice Jones, Elijah Ober, Nick Bepi they're phenomenal young artists who will more than likely have big national careers long time, and I think it's really important to straddle both sides of the market, if you will, and also in a form of giving back.

Elizabeth Moss: Look, it's hard for young artists. To get a foothold somewhere and to get into a gallery that's got some longevity and established, and then, because they can be introduced to collector, my Drexler collectors or my hunt Sloan collectors, they can be additional purchases with these more [00:16:00] established artists.

Elizabeth Moss: So it builds their career. It builds their marketplace. 

Elise Kiely: I love that you're doing that, Liz, because I think you, your career and your story is a wonderful example to that college student who is majoring in art history or museums is museum studies. Museum studies of what is a path that I can do. And it's not overnight.

Elise Kiely: It takes a lot of hard work. And there have been, I know, some sleepless nights along the past 20 years, of course. But you've been brave and courageous opening the second gallery down in downtown Portland and taking a chance on different artists and I particularly love when we were talking about, I asked you in the first episode to share some of the iconic Maine artists.

Elise Kiely: I love that you went right to Lynn Drexler. I thought you were gonna say Winslow Homer or the Ws or Hopper, who are amazing artists. 

Elizabeth Moss: Absolutely. Yeah. I love 

Elise Kiely: that you said the artists that you did. I think that's so [00:17:00] authentic. She's a 

Elizabeth Moss: superstar right now, and so is Lois Dodd, and so is Kathy Bradford.

Elizabeth Moss: These are really important female artists that are, like I said, they're superstars of the international world and they're from, they're coming outta Maine. 

Elise Kiely: Yeah, that's in Incre. It's incredible. I think Maine does create a cultural energy. And a creative energy that is so helpful for not only the artists, but the the creative community and the economic community of Maine. It has a real impact. Yeah. Liz, I always feel like I learn so much when I sit down with you. I really appreciate your time. I know you're super busy. I do have a closing segment that I do with my guests. I hope you'll humor me and let me ask you some signature questions.

Elizabeth Moss: Sure. 

Elise Kiely: Okay. Of course. Where do you and your family find elegance in Maine? 

Elizabeth Moss: Okay. I am glad you asked me this question because I asked my 20-year-old son, max, yesterday, who I used 

Elise Kiely: to hold in your gallery. Yes. You hold held 

Elizabeth Moss: in your [00:18:00] arms and he said nature and kind people. What an interesting wow answer.

Elise Kiely: And Max is said 20 

Elizabeth Moss: max is 20. Nature 

Elise Kiely: and nice people. Kind people. 

Elizabeth Moss: Kind people. 

Elise Kiely: Yeah. Yeah. That's great. 

Elizabeth Moss: I think too, I was. Maybe not thinking of find as in a specific place, but just the idea of elegance. And for me, I do think about that a lot. Certainly if you think of Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue.

Elizabeth Moss: You would say there's an elegant person, but I think elegance is about recognizing and expressing beauty. I think it's very intentional. Somebody that's confident and content with how it is that someone with style care and creative spirit and a heavy dose of emotional intelligence. I 

Elise Kiely: think you just described [00:19:00] yourself.

Elizabeth Moss: Oh, Elise, that's, it's easy 

Elise Kiely: to be with you. I really do. I think that's beautifully said. Beautifully said. Do you have a special place in Maine? I obviously well Monhegan. Yeah. Yeah. And I can, that was it. I can't encourage people enough to go out to Monhegan. It will change you. 

Elizabeth Moss: It will. 

Elise Kiely: It will change you.

Elise Kiely: You'll either 

Elizabeth Moss: get it or you won't. Correct. Correct. And it's okay if you don't, but the ones that go and get it, it's a gift. 

Elise Kiely: It really is. Alright. One talent you don't think you have but you wish you had. 

Elizabeth Moss: It's not a talent, but I just wish I had a better memory.

Elise Kiely: That's, somebody else said that Greg Dauphinee really from Andres Gogan Banks said he wished he had a photographic memory. 

Elizabeth Moss: Oh, photographic. Yeah. That would be very intense. That's asking for a lot. That's really asking for a lot. I just want hint too. Yeah, 

Elise Kiely: I'm right there. Can you share a favorite painting?

Elise Kiely: Is it Lynn Drexler? 

Elizabeth Moss: I'm not gonna say I have a favorite painting because for me it's saying which your, which is your favorite child, [00:20:00] and no one would ever say that. But I'm gonna say. A favorite thing for me is when I have that moment that I stand in front of a piece of art and it just blows my socks off.

Elizabeth Moss: You know that? Aha. Wow. Nailed it. Oh my gosh. You can't even, you don't even know why. It's great. It just is. And you can see that and feel it. So it's just what, 

Elise Kiely: that was the feeling that my husband Neil had at that Allison Hill Seascape, the first painting that, from your gallery. That sold from your gallery, 

Elizabeth Moss: that makes perfect sense because he stood in front of it and he went somewhere.

Elizabeth Moss: Either it was an emotional response or it was a memory response maybe of looking out at the ocean. Maybe a being on the island. Had a feeling, a sense from it. 

Elise Kiely: We talk about that. We talk about that experience and that painting quite a bit. Unfortunately we lost it in our house fire.

Elise Kiely: Oh, that 

Elizabeth Moss: was so sad. 

Elise Kiely: [00:21:00] But but that memory of having that painting was amazing. Okay, last question. You are a scholar and you are constantly reading and listening. Do you have a favorite book or podcast that you find really impactful? 

Elizabeth Moss: Love in the time of cholera by Gabrielle Garcia Marquez, who is known for magical realism in literature.

Elizabeth Moss: He explores solitude using magical elements in realistic situations. I think that is pretty, telling of how I see the world. Maybe in that I do see a reality. Yes I do, but I sometimes like to code it with the magic of life or joy or wonder, an imagination. So for me, magic realism is.

Elizabeth Moss: It's pretty cool. 

Elise Kiely: That's wonderful. See, this is what's so fun [00:22:00] about doing this podcast and having you as a guest. I've read that book, but I didn't have that perspective on it, and now I have a new perspective on that book, which is great. So Liz, thank you for your time, your insight. Thank you for your contributions to Maine.

Elise Kiely: You have elevated the art world by your experience, by your promotion, and by your sophistication. And so I'm very grateful. And for listeners, I will include links to Elizabeth Moss Art Gallery in the show notes. And maybe we'll do a link specifically to the three artists that you promoted as well, just because I want to continue the exposure of those women artists. And I will share contact information for you as well. And I do encourage you to attend one of the gallery gatherings. You will be warmly welcomed. There will be an open door. You should not hesitate. And it's a wonderful experience. So Liz, thank you again.

Elise Kiely: It's been a pleasure having you. 

Elizabeth Moss: I [00:23:00] always love to sit down with you, Elise. You're just fabulous with the best dimples and bright, sharp questions, and it's been my pleasure. 

Elise Kiely: Wonderful. Thank you, Liz. Thank you for joining us on Elegant Maine Living, and remember, if you are dreaming of a lifestyle in Maine or already living it, this podcast is for you.

Elise Kiely: Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode. And I invite you to take this journey with me. Please share it with your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. I would love a review and welcome feedback and encourage you to reach out with questions or topics you would like to hear about. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or simply an email to elise@eliseKiely.com, and all of those links will be in the show notes.

Elise Kiely: And remember, this podcast is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and does not create an attorney-client, [00:24:00] or real estate advisory relationship. I am happy to engage. If you have any questions or if I can help in your real estate journey, simply click on the links in the show notes to contact me through social media or email.

Elise Kiely: I'm always happy to help in any way that I can, and we welcome you to come and explore Maine. Thank you for listening to Elegant Maine Living where elegance isn't just an aesthetic, it's a way of life. Until next time, keep living with elegance.