Renowned supporter of local music and arts Lisa Gourley (Sometimes Lisa Gourleyx) passed away on June 15. Reading reactions on social media, you can’t help but notice how often the words “nice,” “kind,” and “photography” come up. Lisa won Motif’s Favorite Photographer award a few times, most recently in 2023. Here’s how our reporter Bobby Forand described the win at the time:
Local shows have always been considered a success if Favorite Photographer Lisa Gourley was in attendance. Even if no one else was there, having Lisa at the front of the stage using multiple cameras to photograph and take video (often at the same time) made for a great night with plenty of footage to share. Lisa has documented the highs and lows of the RI music scene. There are few people that she doesn’t know, and she is well-respected by the community.
Lisa has dedicated her life to her art. She is passionate and bands in almost every genre have had the pleasure of experiencing her kindness, whether it’s through a swig of the Jim Beam she keeps in her trunk or the dessert she’ll bake to celebrate a birthday. The world has a lot of great photographers, but only RI has a Lisa Gourley. This community is incredibly blessed to have her. – BF
Lisa succumbed to cancer, with family and kind hospital workers around her. On Facebook, her cousin Laura Mazo posted, “She had been in the ICU for the past several days, after scans and diagnostics it was found that she was suffering from very advanced cancer that had metastisized causing multi-organ failure. Though her passing was sudden and unexpected I can assure all of you that she was in excellent hands… Lisa was a very private person but I think she would want those who knew her and appreciated her, her work, her talents, and her generosity to know what had happened and to know she was kept comfortable and cared for.
… She worked behind a camera lens and saw the world through it, capturing candid moments of us that we can treasure forever. Behind that camera was right where she wanted to be and that work was so incredibly meaningful and enjoyable to her. Not only was she very talented and generous with her work, she loved her work. To love what you do is the greatest gift in this life. Thank you for letting her do what she loved and thank you for letting her be a part of your lives in the way she enjoyed and felt comfortable. Thank you.”
Lisa is survived by an extended family, and generations of music fam who will miss her greatly.