From Gary H. Brown

Joe Cardella was brave.  His magnificent, vast, Soho-like loft housed his Art Life Gallery. Here, the doors were always open to me and others.  Herbert Bayer, father of public art and the creator of the san serif type-face entered in.  Others of us came, as well; some “outsiders” and less well known, but he welcomed us all equally through his life-long commitment to the creative spirit.  He took on exhibition risks to honor our identities, and to support our varied personal voices.  He was a brave catalyst for helping us to build confidence in ourselves as artists. 

Joe was generous with his time. On a recent trip to Mykonos, Greece; The Primary foundation of his heart and heritage, I felt as if I was following Daedalus, entering the labyrinth and experiencing the potency of great Greek archeological artifacts.

Joe was a classy guy, the ultimate gentleman who loved the classics and the classical world. You have to go to Mykonos to get to Delos, where Joe reminded me, that here was the best natural light on the planet. Delos is considered the most sacred landscape of Ancient Greece; It was here that we saw the birthplace of Apollo & Artemis, great mosaic floors, lions, and of course, the giant phallus monuments. For the philosopher in Joe this was his center; One mile wide, two miles square, and three miles long.  He knew every temple and cave by heart.

I consider myself one of the lucky ones to have known Joe Cardella…ART SAVES LIVES.