New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Meet Richard Gormley, 40-year-old Photographer and Graphic Designer.
Rick and his family moved to the area from Cincinnati when he was eight. Raised on a diet of Activision and Hana-Barbara cartoons he would eventually graduate from Dartmouth High and get a degree in Film and Video from Michigan.
From there he moved to Los Angeles where he had the (mis)fortune to work on several straight to VHS movies. After 4 years in LA, Rick moved to Tokyo Japan, where he taught English to natives and although it wasn’t what he’d gone to school for it was his calling. He fell in love with the people and the country. Unable to accurately describe the city to friends back in the States he started to take photographs.
Richard returned to New Bedford in 2009 and although he was unsure of what to do he knew he wanted to pursue his love for film, photography and design. Working a few odd jobs upon arrival, he quickly got working on pieces and featured a Tokyo inspired photo collage at Jeremiah Hernandez’s U.G.L.Y. Gallery. He noted Jeremiah for his inspiration and encouragement to continue to pursue his desires as a creative.
His day job is as a graphic designer for Ahead USA, where he works on logo development and product photography. His hobbie for photography has led him to photograph weddings, family portraits, fashion catalogs and most recently still lives. His latest show at Alison Wells Studio in downtown New Bedford alongside Andrew Kepsinki and Peter Pereira features black and white photos of locally grown flowers.
His hope is to continue inspiring the youth of New Bedford through his work, especially the designs he partners with local skateboard shop Solstice to produce. Nothing makes him happier than to see the youth full of local pride.
“Everything I’m doing now I didn’t go to school for and although I am not wealthy, I am happy. Be happy, because we are all going to be working 70 hours a week, so you better like what you are doing. And if you want to get good get ready to fail, and enjoy failing.”
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