I’ve admired the program at Charles Moffett for several years, but it was only recently that I really developed a relationship with them because of one gallerist who gets it–Hannah Root. To be honest, I don’t really know how Hannah found me but she piped up in response to one of my more fiery Substack posts (pretty sure it was this one). After exchanging some DMs of solidarity on ye’ old IG, we decided we needed to have brunch to hash it out further. It was at that teeny table at Balthazar that I shared with her my vision for Art I Saw & Liked. It felt so good to speak it out loud and Hannah listened so intently, offered up some critical thoughts and suggestions, and became the very first AISAL cheerleader. She has really walked with me every step of the way and provided invaluable feedback and support. So, THANK YOU HANNAH!!

Now, more about why YOU also need to know Hannah. If ever there was a go-getter, changemaker, get-it-doner in the art industry, it is Hannah. She recently transitioned to Charles Moffett after nearly a decade at Pace. Not only does her rolodex run deep, but she welcomes new people and ideas with wide open arms. On paper, she may have cut her teeth on doing things the mega-gallery way; but after one conversation with Hannah, you will instantly learn that she approaches the business of selling art with her own fresh verve. Getting behind the idea of a subscription-based art advisory service? Yep. A mahjong night at the gallery? Do it. Growing her audience on Substack? Sign her up.

She’s the most unpretentious, well-connected person you’ll ever meet. She does pilates in basketball shorts, plays basketball on her days off, and has an incredible eye for emerging talent.

If you’re in New York, you should absolutely make Charles Moffett a stop on your itinerary. In the mean time, read on to hear Hannah’s thoughts on being a gallerist and advice she has for new collectors plus peruse the newest additions to The Collection all from Charles Moffett. 

Q & A with Hannah Root

How do you see your role as a gallerist?

Being a gallerist means being an educator first and foremost. Whether it is educating a collector about an artist, clarifying art world jargon for a novice, defining what a gallery is, or elucidating how to start a collection, nothing is out of bounds in this role. Each time a question is asked, the art world grows because it is another mind who feels empowered to remain curious. We are the conduit of information between the collector and the artist, which of course is a job you can’t take lightly!

What is an aspect of your job that most people might not consider?

One of the most overlooked parts of working in a gallery is the opportunity to learn about individuals to help them find an artist they love or the right artwork. Somebody opening up about their aesthetic inclinations can be really personal, so understanding what a privilege it is to create a space where people feel comfortable sharing is a great way to create honest dialogue about artists and artwork.

Do you have any advice for someone wanting to start collecting art?

For people who are interested in beginning their collections, I encourage you to not be bashful in asking the question on your mind. I love when people ask the price, because it means they are figuring out how the piece could work in their lives. Maybe it is a work that you could buy in the moment, or maybe it’s a good artist to earmark for future budgeting. Either way, you are educating yourself as to how to live with artwork that you love.

I am grateful to Hannah for her time in sharing with us and for cheering me on for the sidelines as I have developed this platform and continue to grow it!

Now, to the art!

Sam Bornstein

If you have been here long enough, you have probably picked up on the fact that I am not usually drawn to figurative art (meaning art with people in it). And when I do find figurative work I like, it is usually because the people populating the composition are not immediately in and of my own space. I suppose I personally need an element of separation between me and the figure and I think that happens in Sam’s work. I also find the color palette charming and bright but acidic and overpowering.

Gianna Dispenza

I like Dispenza’s openness to change and unpredictability. The work is abstract and for me the meaning lies in the making. Her additive process fundamentally alters the paint in ways she both understands and can’t anticipate. I find it to be a good metaphor for life. I also think she has a unique sense of composition that feels responsive to the altered state of her materials.

Maggie Ellis

Maggie clearly knows her art history. This one painting makes two obvious references to Edouard Manet’s Dejeuner Sur l’Herbe and George Seurat’s Sunday on La Grande Jatte. In her version though she updates the scene, the composition, and the color palette to feel like it was screen-grabbed from Instagram. In Ellis’s hands, the central theme of isolation from Seurat’s magnum opus is recast as the ubiquitous glowing screen that is shattering the relationship-building skills of young people across the world. The recumbent nude figure in the foreground occupies a similarly obscure role as her counterpart in Manet’s painting; and, I can only surmise that viewers should bring their own interpretations to this familiar yet elusive work.

Keiran Brennan Hinton

Hinton is a master of melding universal familiarity with nostalgia for a particular place. I often feel a longing or kindred connection to the places he depicts even if I don’t know exactly where they are. He documents the feeling a place gave him rather than the way it looked and that is my favorite kind of representational painting, whether it’s a landscape, an interior, or otherwise.

Silvia Heyden

I love a good opportunity to give due to an artist who deserved more attention than they got during their lifetime and Silvia Heyden is just that. While she gained some notoriety, particularly in the American Southeast, she should be better known than she is and I love that Charles Moffett is bringing attention to this 20th century textile artist.

Hopie Hill

Another artist who knows her art history, Hopie Hill carries on the tradition of symbol-rich still life painting of the Dutch Golden Age. Recasting familiar objects like citrus fruit, eggs, or snails, Hill reflects on her own personal journey and offers an opportunity for connection with the viewer as she opens up about her struggles.

Julia Jo

Jo’s work jumps back and forth between figuration and abstraction and deals with the miscues, missteps, and lost-in-translation moments she felt growing up between Korea and states across the US. Each mark is carefully calibrated to reveal and conceal. This work totally stands up in the three areas of evaluation I discussed last week!

Melissa Joseph

Another artist dealing with memory and family history, Melissa Joseph looks at how we occupy space, the labors of women, and the experience of being a second-generation American. Her work has a sculptural, almost-DIY quality to it but it is very much intentional and not for lack of skill. It feels vintage and close to home, telling intimate stories with unique materials She was also listed in the Artsy Vanguard 2025, so there’s that background check for ya!

I hope you have enjoyed reading all about one of my favorite NYC galleries and gallerists this week. It takes years of dedication and discernment to develop these relationships and I am so grateful to all of the gallerists who have worked with me along the way. Truly, galleries are essential cogs in the art industry machine. They spot and nurture great talent and help artists manage the business of being artists so that artists can do what they do best–clarify the world for the rest of us! The art industry can not survive without them, so find the ones that resonate with you and support them!

Thanks for being here!