Roderice Cardell, The MADDDARTIST, who died in January 2021 at the age of 33, left behind him a legacy through his music, his art and, most importantly, his love of his community and his commitment to making it a better place.

Cardell’s works – neo-expressionist abstract paintings done on canvas and wood – are offered for sale, with the proceeds going to Cardell’s family foundation to help underprivileged children in the Upstate.

Cardell, a native of Spartanburg and graduate of Winthrop University, was outspoken about issues he saw in his home community and the changes he sought in improving it. He provided a voice for Black artists and community members and was an active voice in conversations on equality and access. In 2019, he helped orchestrate the painting of the Black Lives Matter mural on West Broad Street in downtown Spartanburg. It was the site of an impromptu memorial when the community learned of his death.

He once said, “As people, we have to look and see that our color palette has more colors than just one, not just ones that match our skin tones.”