Left to right: Josh Yingling, Richard Harmer, Matt Tobin.
Richard Harmer is a self-taught artist who has a history of donating his paintings to charity auctions. He’s supported the Alzheimer’s Association, the Mavs Foundation and more.
More than half of his creations are given to support good causes, and especially local ones. For Harmer, it’s been “fulfilling” to combine his interest in art with community.
Restaurants, like many industries, suffered during the pandemic, and Harmer wanted to support them. His idea was to display some paintings in a local restaurant and when they sold, he’d give a portion of the sale to the business.
He approached Josh Yingling, an owner of Goodfriend Beer Garden and Burger House, with the idea. They had met through their kids, who play baseball together.
But when Yingling heard it, he had a different suggestion. Harmer would display his pieces at the restaurant, but instead of benefitting Goodfriend, 25% of the proceeds should support Foundation 45, a local nonprofit that offers counseling services and works to break the stigma around mental health, addiction and suicide.
Harmer, who’s lived in Lakewood for a couple years, wasn’t familiar with the organization, so he looked it up. He says he was intrigued right away.
Six of his paintings, which he had completed before he learned about Foundation 45, are on display at Goodfriend for at least six weeks. It just so happens that a few of them depict guitars, which ties them to Foundation 45. The nonprofit was founded after two members of a Dallas band, Spector 45, died by suicide.
Goodfriend is located at 1154 Peavy Road.
