AACG News
Pismo Gallery Owner to Retire
The owner of the three PISMO Fine Art Glass galleries in Colorado - Denver, Aspen and Vail - has decided to follow the advice of the old adage, “Quit when you’re ahead.” Sandy Sardella will retire this spring after just completing her best year of the 25 years she has owned and managed the three galleries. She will close the Denver gallery on March 31 and continue through the ski season in Aspen and Vail after a one-time-only retirement sale. The sale begins immediately. Ironically, it will be the first sale she has ever had in her quarter-century in business.
Sandy attributes much of her success in 2014 to Dale Chihuly, one of the top glass artists in the world. She has represented him for more than 20 years, but his exhibition last year at the Denver Botanic Gardens brought a new level of recognition and appreciation of his artistry to the Denver area; not to mention the increased traffic and sales at her Denver gallery, which is only about a mile from the DBG. Not only did it mean a good year for Chihuly sales, but, Sandy says, it spiked appreciation for glass art in general among people who had little interest in or knowledge of glass art prior to the Chihuly show.
The galleries are recognized internationally for the breadth and depth of their collection, offering a wide range of fine art pieces for both casual admirers and serious collectors.
Sandy is 68, with a master’s degree from the University of Denver, a long-time Denver resident, and the wife of retired 9News anchorman, Ed Sardella. She says “I love what I’ve been doing for the past 25 years; I’ve put my heart and soul into making PISMO an entity that I’m very proud of and I love and appreciate the wonderful artists, staff and customers I’ve worked with”. She and Ed plan to spend more time together traveling and living part-time at their home in Pismo Beach, CA, which provided the inspiration for the name of the galleries. They intend to continue making Denver their primary home for the foreseeable future.
| Posted 15 Jan 23
