School Custodian by Day, Artist by Night On a Mission to Raise $1 Million for Worthwhile Causes

Most people dream about what they would do if they were given $1 million. Some might buy a house, pay down debt, or even travel the world.

For local artist Joseph Gormley, his mission is simple: Earn $1 million — but make sure it ends up in the hands of others, especially those who need it most.

Gormley is a Tamarac resident, originally from Scotland, who works as a school custodian by day and an acclaimed artist on nights and weekends. Gormley doesn’t typically sell his paintings for profit. Instead, he donates them to local nonprofits and foundations who auction them to raise funds for worthy causes like children’s medical expenses, youth sports initiatives, and more.

Gormley’s paintings often earn anywhere from $9,000 to $15,000 per bid. So far, his work has garnered nearly $300,000 in donations total, but Gormley is determined to keep painting and giving until his works of art, primarily celebrity portraits, have raised at least $1 million.

“My paycheck is for my family, but my artwork is for the community,” Gormley said.

It might surprise some that Gormley’s art is worth so much. He has no formal training, and his wife bought him his first paint set just over a decade ago as a Christmas gift, and the school children he interacts with during his day job aren’t exactly the target audience for fine art.

Still, somehow, by making all the right connections, harnessing a lot of natural talent, and conjuring a “wee” bit of luck (as they say in Scotland) Gormley’s work has earned him a reputation among the upper echelon, made his art sought after at local charity events, and, ultimately, propelled his success.

Perhaps his most jaw-dropping interaction to date is with none other than Lionel Messi. A mutual connection alerted Messi’s family to Gormley’s Messi portraits and they fell in love with his work. Messi signed and returned three portraits and decided to keep a fourth in his new Fort Lauderdale home.

The interaction with Messi inspired Gormley to aim for another big dream: earning a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. This year, Gormley has been circulating one of his many Messi portraits throughout South Florida communities recruiting everyday people to paint a few swipes on the canvas. Gormley hopes to achieve the record for “Most People Painting on One Community Canvas” by the end of the year.

“We’ve had about 200 people paint on the canvas so far, and we are trying for more,” Gormley said. “Thousands of people paint Messi every day, but not everybody has a community-based canvas.”

Gormley is not stopping there. He recently partnered with The 72 Chocolate Collection to have his art included on their chocolate bar packaging. Those who purchase a bar from the Swirl line will have a portion of proceeds donated to help provide children access to healthy meals.

Even though Gormley is a community man at heart – his family has lived in Coral Springs and Tamarac, and he has worked in Coral Springs and Parkland schools — Gormley hopes to someday gain national recognition for his efforts if it will help to achieve his many goals. Although, for Gormley, the goal is to never paint himself in a self-centered light, but rather to always help others.

“I don’t want fame; fame comes with a price,” Gormley said. “I want to help as many people as possible.”

More information about Joseph Gormley’s art can be found on Instagram @josephgormleyart.

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