Lisa and Tom Goodrich: #ibelieveinMOCA for stretching my imagination

Lisa and Tom Goodrich are active members of the community and enthusiastic Avant Garde members of MOCA Jacksonville. They live in Atlantic Beach, but they don't let a trek over the Intracoastal Waterway keep them from coming downtown for exhibitions, events, Downtown Art Walk, or a bite at NOLA MOCA.

Throughout the end of the year, we're asking people like the Goodriches to share why they support MOCA.

Tell us a little bit about you.

Lisa: We moved to Jacksonville in 1991 from South Florida for Tom's job. Shortly after moving here, he changed jobs and continues to work for the same company as a certified financial planner. He owns a boutique practice under Ameriprise Financial and works primarily with senior executives and business owners. I have a little more difficulty answering the question, “What do you do, Lisa?” Well, the short answer is, “Anything I want.” The past twenty years have been spent raising our son, but during that time I continued to volunteer in the arts. Whether it was the Beaches Fine Arts Series or the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, I enjoyed helping our local arts scene thrive. Currently, I serve on the Board of Directors of The Florida Theatre. My real job is director of marketing and community engagement for SouthEast Development Group, but I have a ton of flexibility to enjoy excellent balance in my life. For fun I play tennis, nearly everyday. I spend a lot of time at the beach walking my dog, and I love to cook.

Tom: I'm originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, but grew up in Fort Lauderdale. We moved to Jacksonville to start my career as a financial advisor. We are quite active and enjoy tennis, cycling, surfing, and traveling extensively. We also enjoy many cultural outlets in addition to MOCA, including community theater and The Florida Theatre.

#ibelieveinMOCA because …

Lisa: MOCA works hard to be accessible to the general public, and they educate the public about art in a way that makes it approachable and fun. In my opinion, MOCA supports local artists better than any other large organization in Jacksonville.

Tom: It's a top-notch organization. It has shown its ability grow and develop with the changing times. It's also shown the fortitude to challenge the status quo.

Why do you support MOCA?

Lisa: MOCA offers something for everyone. From children to serious collectors, the staff at MOCA serves its membership and beyond. I learn something from every visit to MOCA. I have called Ben Thompson for advice on art we're considering for our small collection, and he spends the time evaluating and helping us decide. It's important to me that MOCA curates their own exhibitions. With meticulous planning, they coordinate every aspect of what is offered at the Museum; from the menu at NOLA MOCA, to Project Atrium, to the artists-in-residence, a common theme engages their members and visitors on many levels. It's important work, and they do a good job of it.

Tom: They bring important and thought-provoking exhibitions in contemporary art to Jacksonville. What MOCA accomplishes is equal to contemporary museums from much larger cities.

Why do you think MOCA is important to the community?

Lisa: Every exhibition stretches the imagination of visitors and members to the Museum. The staff spends a lot of time educating visitors about why the art MOCA exhibits is important and worthy of celebrating. Also, since MOCA curates exhibitions that travel around the region and country, it shows Jacksonville in a very good and powerful light.

Tom: Travel anywhere in the world and what you go to see is the cultural (art, literature, theater, etc.) legacy of the area or civilization. It provokes thought and conversation in the community about topics that are important to the times.

What did you do last time you were at MOCA?

Lisa: We attended the Women of the Knife dinner at NOLA MOCA. It was fun and delicious! I love that they showcase culinary arts this way.

Tom: I typically see every new exhibition and partake in the lectures offered throughout the year. I love MOCA events. 

What are some of your favorite MOCA exhibitions or artworks and why?

Lisa: I LOVED the Get Real: New American Painting exhibition! Also, Smoke and Mirrors, that was fantastic and so touchable (though I never would, of course). And every single thing that's been done in Project Atrium. Remember the moon … and the little people made from MRIs? I've loved them all.

Tom: The straws in the WHITE exhibition, the mirrored box with the ladder in Smoke and Mirrors, and all the works in Get Real: New American Painting.

Why would you tell your friends to support MOCA?

Lisa: I would tell my friends to support MOCA because they are doing good work for the community. They are teaching us about what contemporary art is and why it's important. Along the way they are lifting up local artists who are making really great art. MOCA's reach extends beyond Jacksonville's city limits. They are shining a positive and smart light on our city. It's important to support MOCA.

Tom: For all the reason listed above, and their success is important to Jacksonville achieving its full potential. 

We need your help

Please make a donation to MOCA Jacksonville, then share why #ibelieveinMOCA on your social media pages. Are you a member? Join MOCA and receive valuable perks while supporting access to the arts for everyone.

About the artwork

Technically intricate with a haunting quality, Jenny Morgan's paintings experiment with psychological visual realism, obscuring the physical to expose the spiritual. She obfuscates the portraits' meticulous details by annihilating their likeness, stripping away layers like physical and spiritual wounds, while retaining a striking intimacy. Her corporeal but also ethereal portraits become almost supernatural portrayals, hovering between the spheres of the known and the unknown. Brand New appeared in Get Real: New American Painting and is now a part of MOCA Jacksonville's Permanent Collection.