Lisa Irwin
Gallery Owner
Lisa Irwin is the owner of NOMA Gallery, a Founding Partner in NOMA Records and is the President of the LILAC Foundation. Along with other community involvement, she is the Chairperson of the Marion Cultural Alliance Board of Directors. A native of Miami, FL, Lisa has lived in Ocala/Marion County since 1994. Her work experience has included management roles in both for profit and not for profit organizations, as well as owning several local small businesses in Ocala. When she’s not working, she enjoys traveling, snuggling dogs and diving into a good book.
Favorite Quote: “I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart.”
Mel Fiorentino
Gallery Director
Mel Fiorentino is a professional artist of 20+ years and has private and public collections worldwide. She focuses her time on building her professional career, curating/directing at NOMA Gallery and bringing the art community together not only locally but globally. She served on the Magnolia Art Xchange board of directors for 2 years and has become a full-time studio artist working on commissioned work, portraiture and various personal series of works for upcoming exhibitions featuring a collection of works concerning our human connections and the connection to the extensive universe.
Favorite Quote: “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim it too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” -Michelangelo
Diane Cahal
Founding Member of NOMA
Diane Cahal is an award-winning artist living in Marion County for the last twenty-three years. During that time, she’s served on art-centric BOD’s including Magnolia Art Xchange, Marion Cultural Alliance, and as liaison for MCA on the OMAC board. She gained valuable experience as Gallery Director of MCA’s Artful Gifts and has participated in several public art projects such as Horse Fever and her own downtown installation of dioramas called “Small Spaces, Big Places”. Her works of art can be found throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and in local private collections. Diane obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in photography from Sam Houston State University with a minor in studio art in 1993. A proud Texan transplant and self-proclaimed weirdo, she enjoys making guacamole almost as much as eating it, sharing her life on social media, and obsessing over all things paranormal.
Isaiah Pepper
Founding Member of NOMA
Isaiah Pepper, or EEB as we call him, is a visual artist who works in many different mediums. At NOMA, he keeps everything moving along seamlessly. From curation and installation of our Shows, to making sure our guests’ private events exceed expectations. And luckily for us, he has the mechanical skills to keep our nearly 100 year old building in tune.
Geraldo Rodriguez
Gallery Manager
Geraldo graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a BFA in Graphic Arts. Along with creating his own work, Geraldo enjoys helping students achieve their goals. He has taught Drawing and Silkscreen Printing at the Art Students League in San Juan, PR and was also a Professor at University of Sacred Heart, San Juan, PR.
Geraldo moved to Ocala in 2005, and worked as a Graphic Designer at CMI and MMP from 2005 to 2019.
Geraldo has Exhibited with the Art Students League (ASL), the University of Puerto Rico and the University of Sacred Heart. His Drawings are permanently hung at ASL and with Private Collections.
At NOMA, you will find Geraldo doing anything (and everything!) from assisting clients with purchasing their perfect piece to assisting with event design and décor, to teaching students.
Contact him via email by clicking here.
Lavana Korr
Social Media Coordinator
At NOMA GALLERY, located in Ocala, Florida, our mission is to be a vibrant hub that celebrates and supports the arts on both local and global scales. We are committed to fostering creativity and talent by showcasing the works of local artists alongside those of national and internationally acclaimed artists, enriching our community with diverse artistic expressions.
Beyond exhibiting fine art, we aim to nurture artistic growth through educational initiatives, offering classes for both professional and amateur artists. We are also dedicated to cultivating a love for the arts among children through various engaging events.
At the heart of our values is philanthropy. We are proud to dedicate ourselves to the betterment of our community by hosting a nonprofit event each month, providing support and exposure to nonprofit organizations without any cost. At NOMA GALLERY, we envision a world where art thrives, education flourishes, and compassion resonates through our artistic endeavors.
The LILAC Foundation
NOMA Gallery opened in 2020 as a Pop-Up Art Gallery called “ArtCastle”, intended as a limited time relief and recovery response to Covid 19 pandemic. During 2020, artists and non-profit arts organizations were able to show, perform, and sell their works with no fees or commissions.
Renovated and re-opened in February 2021 as a traditional for-profit fine arts gallery, NOMA remains committed to their philanthropic roots by offering a free event to a select non-profit each month.