After opening in October of 2023, Liz Abaid Fine Art Gallery in Milford has quickly become a vibrant destination for art lovers. Liz Abaid, the gallery's founder and artist, has been sharing her deep love of the Monadnock Region through stunning images she paints. But her artistic expression doesn't stop at traditional canvases -- she transforms the beauty of the landscape into timeless keepsakes, offering a variety of unique pieces. Whether on canvas, wood or other creative mediums, Abaid's work invites viewers to experience the heart of the Monadnock Region in every brushstroke.
Abaid grew up with a love for creating art. In high school, she found herself painting images for friends and family, and in 2020 she began sharing her images on Facebook and found that many people really liked them. This prompted her to start an Etsy shop to sell her artwork.
"I found that quite a few customers were from Milford and surrounding towns," she said, and from there she started selling her artwork locally at a consignment shop. After the owners of the shop retired, she had to find a new space. "Galleries wanted 50 to 60 percent, so I decided to renovate a shop and open my own place. It's been really fun, and I really love it."
Abaid has had a love for the outdoors since she was a child. She grew up in Jaffrey between two state parks on Dublin Road and her dad was a park ranger in his younger years.
"I loved climbing Mount Monadnock, and I started out by doing a bunch of Monadnock paintings. My favorite thing to do is choose a different viewpoint to paint."
She would paint the view of Mount Monadnock from Gap Mountain or from Pack Monadnock. She has done a lot of townscape paintings of Milford, as well as landscape paintings of Dublin, Peterborough, Amherst and Bedford.
"Landscape is my favorite -- cityscapes are really fun too." Abaid paints in watercolors, oils and acrylics, but acrylic is her favorite media. "I love oil though, but it takes a lot longer and I don't have much time to use that. I do have many oil paintings in my gallery though," she added.
When visiting the gallery, you will find that it is jam packed with everything artwork. There are large and small framed prints; a lot of jewelry from necklaces to earrings with images of the Monadnock area; ornaments of every kind, some made from wood slices and some made with glass over fine art prints; and all different kinds of sun catchers.
"It takes a while to get through here," explained Abaid. "There's a lot to see."
She also carries calendars that feature different images of New Hampshire, and she offers greeting cards as well. "I have many paintings from the Monadnock Region through the Seacoast. There are many different scenes that I have done. I have a never-ending supply of things to paint. There are so many pretty places. I like to paint things that people drive and walk by every day and when people see them, they say, 'Oh, I know exactly where that is and didn't realize how pretty it is.'"
She occasionally hosts events at her gallery. The last one she had was an anniversary event this past October, to celebrate one year in business. She has some plans in the works for next year to offer holiday classes on ornament and jewelry making. "I also plan on next year, doing some different craft fairs to get the word out about the gallery."
The gallery's holiday hours are Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The gallery is open Monday through Wednesday by appointment only.
Liz Abaid Fine Art Gallery is located at 30 Cottage St., Milford. For more information visit, www.facebook.com/lizabadartist; lizabaidpaintings.com; email, [email protected]; or call (603) 673-7300.