Roderice Cardell, 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 – were offered for sale, with the proceeds going to Cardell’s family foundation to help underprivileged children in the Upstate.

“Rod – known as MADDDARTIST – as an artist was prolific, talented and passionate,” says Beth Regula, chair of the Collective’s board. “He cared deeply that people saw his work and respected him and his work. He wanted to show it and share it. As a person, Rod was kind, compassionate, willing to help others. He saw and felt that injustice existed and was willing to speak up and show up to try to make the world a better place.”

Cardell’s mother, Tonya Gilliam, says her son’s body of work is important “because he chose to take his frustrations and emotions out on his pieces. He expressed himself and encouraged others, especially the youth that struggled with anxiety and mental hurdles, to have a positive outlet by utilizing the canvas. That’s why his slogan was ‘turning chaos into beauty.’”

Gilliam says visitors to the gallery should see that his art has deep meaning. “If you look closely at some of his pieces, you will see messages, words or the mention of his relationship with God. You will see his life as it evolved from the beginning, where he used eyes in a lot in his work, to the times of protesting, love and peace.

“What I want people to know about my son and his art is that he was passionate in everything he did,” continues Gilliam, who says when her son first began painting, she thought it was just a hobby but saw it grow as he used it after recovering from a near-death experience in a motorcycle accident. “He said that when he painted – when he created – it allowed him to express himself and be free from anxiety and depression.