Lydia Abbott

Lydia acquired her Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and English Literature from McGill University, Montreal. She obtained a Master of Arts degree in Art History from the University of Toronto where she specialized in historical, modern and contemporary Canadian art. Her research areas include the Canadian and international art markets, Painters Eleven, Quebec modern art and Canadian artists in Europe.

She has nearly twenty years of experience in the art auction industry, having held senior positions as a Regional Director and a Senior Art Specialist at two art auction firms located in Montreal and Toronto. In 2013, Lydia entered a partnership to form Consignor Canadian Fine Art. The partnership created a stand-alone company, based in dedicated gallery space on Toronto’s Dundas Street West, across the street from the Art Gallery of Ontario. The venture addressed the changing landscape within the Canadian auction industry, melding traditional and specialized client services with industry-leading technology. After six successful years of growth within the industry, Consignor was rebranded as Cowley Abbott.

As both a Principal and the Vice President of Cowley Abbott, Lydia’s responsibilities include overseeing the management of the firm, focusing on the collection of consignments for fine art auctions as well as providing formal written appraisals for estate division, insurance and donation purposes. She has formed relationships with both public institutions and private collectors, aligning the firm with various sectors of the market.
Lydia has completed appraisal courses through the International Society of Appraisers, the largest professional association of personal property appraisers in North America. She participates in public speaking events discussing art consulting and collecting. On behalf of the auction house, Lydia is a regular sponsor and advocate for research, literature and publications on Canadian artists through the Art Canada Institute and Canadian institutions. She hosts private groups and art organizations for special academic events at Cowley Abbott to provide exclusive access to artworks.

Lydia is currently an Adjunct Professor in Art History at the University of Toronto. She is a board member of a major exhibition set to open in Venice in spring of 2024 and has also been nominated for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards.