Auctioneer Spotlight: Lloyd Flay and Maggie Galvin

Many of our Park West collectors develop friendships with the art teams over the course of their land or sea vacations. Here’s a chance to get to know them more as they share their favorite adventures in the art world.

Lloyd Flay worked on land with high-end luxury brands such as Rolex Watch Company and Patek Philippe for the better part of seven years and wanted a change of scene. He began working retail on luxury cruise ships. While working on a cruise ship, he met Maggie Galvin, who was working as an associate for Park West Gallery. Their transatlantic relationship quickly turned into a career partnership, resulting in a swift rise in the ranks of Park West’s top auctioneers.

Previous ships as Auctioneer: Carnival (CCL) Fantasy, CCL Sunshine, CCL Valor, and Royal Caribbean International Brilliance of the Seas

Current ship: CCL Vista

 

Where is your hometown?

Lloyd: I was born and raised in Cardiff, Wales. If you’ve never been before it’s truly worth a plane ticket, even at today’s prices. I only realized what a great city it was after having had the opportunity to travel around the world.

Maggie: Cleveland, Ohio – the greatest location in the nation!

 

When did you start working as an international art dealer on cruise ships?

Lloyd: I began with Park West Gallery in September 2014. Previously I joined ships working as a watch specialist where I discovered the onboard art program through Maggie, who is now my better half; and the brains and beauty of our art program.

Maggie: I started with Park West in January 2014. Before that I was working at a childcare center throughout college. I loved the feeling of teaching a child something new and seeing their face light up with curiosity and intrigue, which is so similar to the feeling of seeing our guests fall in love with our artists.

 

What do you like most about being an auctioneer?

Lloyd: I love making art accessible to people and helping them collect something they will enjoy for a lifetime. I also enjoy being in front of a captive audience and subjecting them to terrible jokes, most of which I blame my father for.

 

Who is your favorite Park West artist and why?

Lloyd: Like most collectors, my tastes vary.  From the masters, undoubtedly, my pick is Joan Miró. I can still look at Miró works that I’m familiar with and always see something new, contemplating not only his symbolism, but also his unparalleled skill in the creation of graphic works.  For a contemporary artist, it has to be Yaacov Agam.

Maggie: I love all of our artists, so choosing one is tough. It has to be a tie between Anatole Krasnyansky and Nano Lopez. I love that I can look at any Krasnyansky artwork and find something new no matter how many times I’ve seen it. Nano is the perfect artist for Lloyd and me. We collected Ema, an adorable hippo, and we cannot wait to receive her. The dedication and effort Nano puts into each and every sculpture is astounding.

 

What is your favorite client memory?

Maggie: The one memory that really stands out has to be Matt and Joff. Joff has a degenerative eye condition that is causing him to lose his eyesight. They fell in love with Krasnyansky’s artwork eight years ago and have been collecting him ever since. Despite losing the ability to see the details in Krasnyansky’s works, Joff still adores it because of the bright, vivid colors that Krasnyansy is known for.

What is your favorite port or a travel tip for the readers?

Lloyd: Quick tip I can summarize with very few words: Cruise in the Norwegian fjords.

Maggie: I tell everyone if they enjoy multiple days at sea, do a repositioning cruise. If you want to do a transatlantic, try to get an itinerary that includes Ponta Delgada, Azores. The island feels like you’ve entered into another time. Azores is known for its wine, cheeses, and pineapples, and I can personally attest to this, all three are incredible!

 

Please tell us about your experience on being an auctioneer aboard the Carnival Vista.

Lloyd: Needless to say it’s a big privilege and a beautiful ship. There is more of an expectation of a ‘flagship experience’ which is something Maggie and I thrive on. It has pushed us to try new things and to create an onboard experience where, even if you’ve been to 1,000 auctions and seminars, you’ll have something new and different to take away from ours. I would call it hard work, but it’s not work if you love what you do.