The East End Edit: In Conversation with Elizabeth Karsch

There are certain artists whose work feels inseparable from the place they call home. For Elizabeth Karsch, that place is Sag Harbor. Her paintings, layered, atmospheric, and emotionally resonant, seem to echo the rhythms of the East End itself: quiet and contemplative in winter, electric and expansive in summer. In this conversation, Elizabeth reflects on the light, energy, and rituals that shape her days, and how Leallo fits naturally into her creative life.

Your work feels so connected to the East End. How does living in the Hamptons influence your creativity and daily life?

There’s a rhythm to my life in Sag Harbor that seems to get echoed in my work. The energy shifts here are pretty intense. Winter is insanely quiet while summer can be overwhelmingly frenetic and my paintings are vibrational in response to that. According to the internet, my work is “rooted in the atmospheric and emotional currents of the East End,” which is pretty spot on!

It’s such a cliché, but I do feel deeply connected to the Abstract Expressionist movement that existed here long before me, and I think there’s something magnetic about this place still, despite all that’s changed since then. The way the light shifts sideways a little in the fall, or the glow that returns to the afternoons in springtime. After 20-plus years here, I still get stopped in my tracks on a regular basis by how beautiful my surroundings are. It gives me the inspiration to set everything else aside and just go paint.

Birds Of A Feather, 2025

Acrylic, oil, pastel, charcoal, oil pastel and color pencil on canvas

What does a perfect day in the Hamptons with your family look like for you?

Nothing beats a long, hot beach day. I have teenagers, so it’s a struggle to drag everyone out before noon, but I am happiest under an umbrella with a crossword puzzle in hand and my family around me. It’s always a great bonus if we see whales, and the best beach days, of course, include a little nap.

When we get home, I like a dunk in the pool and homemade pizzas on the grill, topped with farmstand finds picked up on the drive home from Sagaponack. If there’s any energy left, we’ll walk into town at night for ice cream and people watching. Say what you will about the crowds, but it’s really a good show.

What are some of your favorite local places, rituals, or simple moments out east that make you feel inspired?

Daily dog walks are my most important ritual besides painting. I bring Birdie, my Terrier mutt, to the beach every day at 8 a.m., and she has dozens of friends so we get all the good gossip there.

I’m a Yoga Shanti devotee, and I love the end of class, lying on my back and looking up at the shimmery gold ceiling, especially in winter when it’s cold outside.

Of course, my favorite place to shop is Leallo, but I also adore Lazy Point in Amagansett for chic, curated pieces, and Aloof Icon in Southampton for silly, slightly raunchy gifts. Kidd Squid is where we meet up with friends, and Sagaponack Distillery is our go-to spot for a quiet sunset drink.

And then there’s the art. In the summer especially, I get overwhelmed with all the gallery openings, museum talks, and performances on the roster—but we’re pretty lucky to have so much culture at our fingertips.

Your pieces create such a calming atmosphere in our stores. What do you hope people feel when they experience your work?

It’s such a pleasure to hang my work at Leallo. So many people have reached out to me after stopping into one of the stores, and it’s meaningful to have an audience that wouldn’t necessarily walk into a gallery or go to a museum while they’re in the Hamptons but feel inspired enough to let me know what they think of my work.

I always hope viewers feel moved, whether it’s calming or energizing or invoking curiosity. I think the viewing experience is enhanced by all the rich textures and beautiful colors of your product arrangements. It brings about a tactile sensation that doesn’t usually exist when you look at art.

Leallo is rooted in ease, comfort, and thoughtful everyday living. How does the brand fit naturally into your life, both in and out of the studio?

Leallo’s clothes are so comfortable and well-made. I have a piece from every season since the brand started. I’m a conscious shopper who wears a lot of vintage and keeps things forever, so Leallo slips right into my wardrobe and ethos. Each item has really lasted, and everything works together beautifully.

I love to travel with my family, and every time I pack my bag it’s almost entirely clothes from Leallo, regardless of where we’re going. The line is just so versatile, beautiful yet unfussy, so I really wear these clothes everywhere. I have a pair of green silk pants from last summer that I’ve worn to a formal event and also to bed. What’s better than that?

The barrel leg pant has been my go-to plane pant for two years running but I love to paint in them, too.

Chloe Distressed Tee + Ashley Barrel Pant

Elizabeth’s work reminds us that beauty is often found in subtle shifts, in light, in season, in feeling. It’s that same sensitivity to atmosphere and ease that defines life on the East End, and the quiet rituals that make it meaningful.

To explore more of Elizabeth Karsch’s work, visit elizabethkarsch.com and experience her paintings in person at Leallo locations.