Eric Goode

Born in Rhode Island in 1957 and raised in New York until the age of 8, Eric V. Goode[1] relocated with his family to California. He is the second of five children born to Marilyn Goode, a naturalist and conservationist, and Fredrick Goode, a painter and teacher. He has lived in New York City since 1977.

Eric began his career as an artist, educated at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and Parsons School of Design. Much of his early work was displayed in group shows with other upcoming artists of the day, the earliest in 1981 which was curated by Keith Haring.[2][3] He continued to make and show his art throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s.[4]

In 1983, Goode formed the nightclub Area. Area was known for its constantly changing themes and collaboration with artists of the time (Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, David Hockney, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, and others). Area was Goode's first business venture where he merged art into the context of a nightclub.

In the early to mid-1990s, he directed several music videos for bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Robbie Robertson. He and Serge Becker earned a music video production award for their work on "Pinion".

Over the next two decades Goode transitioned into restaurants[5] and hotels, many of which in collaboration with his partners Serge Becker and more recently Sean MacPherson.[6] His most recent projects include the Bowery Hotel, the Jane Hotel and the Waverly Inn.

Eric Goode currently lives in New York City and California.

After a career in the hospitality business, Goode shifted his focus to wildlife philanthropy after being approached by John Behler of the Wildlife Conservation Society in 2003. Goode first created a rescue and breeding center for endangered turtles and tortoises under Behler's guidance. In 2005, Goode formed his own public charity the Turtle Conservancy. The mission of the Turtle Conservancy is to protect threatened turtles and tortoises and their habitats worldwide. Goode's conservation philosophy centers around turtles as umbrella species, whereby thousands of species are saved by protecting land for turtles and tortoises.

Since its inception, Turtle Conservancy has helped to protect over 60,000 acres of wild land around the world. The organization works to protect turtles, tortoises and other animals on five continents. Guerilla documentaries and public service announcements directed by Goode and the Turtle Conservancy have amassed millions of views across various social media platforms. These documentaries raise awareness of wildlife trafficking, habitat destruction, and the pet trade. Goode has personally donated over 10 million dollars towards wildlife conservation and land protection. His conservation work has been featured on 60 Minutes, Charlie Rose, Racing Extinction, The New Yorker, NPR and CNN.

Goode was recognized by the wildlife community for his efforts, with a tortoise named after him in 2016. The Goode's Thornscrub Tortoise (Gopherus evgoodei) is a desert species from Northern Mexico described by a team of American and Mexican biologists.[1]

• Board member Turtle Conservancy

• Board member Global Wildlife Conservation

• Board member Rainforest Trust

• Board member Chelonian Research Institute

• 1981 - The Club with no Name
• 1983 - Area[11]
• 1988 - MK
• 1989 - BC (LA)
• 1990 - Time Cafe and Fez
• 1994 - B Bar & Grill
• 2000 - The Park
• 2001 - The Maritime Hotel
• 2003 - Matsuri (closed)
• 2003 - La Bottega (closed)
• 2003 - Hiro Ballroom (closed)
• 2006 - Waverly Inn
• 2006 - Lafayette House
• 2007 - Bowery Hotel
• 2007 - Gemma
• 2008 - The Jane Hotel
• 2014 - Ludlow Hotel

Most of Goode's art is created as a vitrine, or display case, with three-dimensional artwork inside. Similar to Joseph Cornell, his work incorporates many aspects of assemblage. Goode's work also has notable similarities to Damien Hirst and Jeff Vaughan, especially his tendency to represent elements of the natural world in his mixed-media installations.