Celebrating the Life of Boris Garbe

When we sat down with Boris Garbe earlier this year we asked him what kind of legacy he hoped to leave behind.

At 60, Boris was candid about his mortality. He didn't expect to be remembered forever, nor did he seem particularly concerned with his name being preserved.

What mattered to him was that the conversations he started at Mills Gallery would continue, especially his belief that the artist is more important than the art.

"A legacy is about the impact that you had on other people, not what you did," he told Orlando Life.

For a man who once admitted that he opened a gallery hoping to become rich and famous, it was a remarkable reflection on what he had come to value.

Yesterday we received a call to find out that Boris Garbe had passed away.

His hope was that the people who walked through Mills Gallery would leave with something that helped them move forward in their own lives.

Boris made an impact on many lives in Orlando, his gallery was a place that lived his legacy day in and day out, that the artist was the focus. He helped artists realize that while also pushing them to treat their craft as a business.

From opportunities to exhibit to guidance in growth, encouragement and found relationships, Mills Gallery is the reflection of the beautiful soul that Boris was.

Sitting down with Boris, recording an interview that celebrated his life, while also talking about his legacy when he’s gone, we didn’t think for one minute this would be the news we’d hear in the same year.

From all of us here at Orlando Life, we love you Boris. Your legacy lives on.

Details regarding memorial services have not yet been announced.