DeGrazia Foundation
& Gallery in the Sun
An Arizona Treasure featuring Ettore ‘Ted’ DeGrazia’s Art & Architecture … by Lisa D. Smith

On a recent trip to Tucson, Nancy (Co-editor) and I visited the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun. It was a beautiful and crisp winter day as we walked up to the adobe gallery that basked in the desert sun, set against a backdrop of the beautiful Santa Catalina Mountains. As we entered the gallery, through a heavy metal door similar to those found in the Yuma Territorial Prison, we knew we were in for a different experience. What we didn’t know, was we that we had found a true Arizona treasure that was not only legendary, but rich in spirit and colorful with Ted DeGrazia’s series of vibrant art that can easily seduce you into stretching your mind and crossing cultural boundaries.

Ettore ‘Ted’ DeGrazia (see pictured), the son of Italian immigrants, was born in 1909 in the Arizona mining camp of Morenci. His father worked in the copper mine, and as a Ted was growing up, he would explore the mountainous region collecting colorful minerals and copper ore. This inspired him to create one of his first sculptures, "Head of Christ", which was baked in his mother's oven.
  Not interested in being a part of the mining industry, DeGrazia moved to Tucson in 1933, and attended the University of Arizona where he eventually earned three degrees, including a Master of Arts with his thesis that explored the relationship of color and sound.  After some photos of his first paintings were published in Arizona Highways magazine, DeGrazia traveled south to Mexico City to begin his apprenticeship with mural masters Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco. They sponsored a solo exhibition of DeGrazia's artwork at the prestigious Palacio de Bellas Artes in 1942. DeGrazia’s artwork gained international fame when his painting ‘Los Niños’ was chosen to be printed on a UNICEF greeting card, which went on to sell millions worldwide in 1960. As the value of his original artwork soared, his fame and finances flourished.

In 1944, DeGrazia opened his first adobe on the outskirts of the Tucson. With the growth of the city, DeGrazia and his wife Marion, who was also an artist, bought the then remote foothills site, to build the Gallery in the Sun. With DeGrazia as the designer, and the help of his Native American friends who made traditional adobe bricks, the building and designing process began in the early 1950s. The first buildings included the Mission in the Sun; the artist's home; a studio; and a small gallery. The Mission in the Sun was built in honor of Padre Kino and dedicated to our Lady of Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico. A beloved sanctuary, The Mission in the Sun is beautiful. graced with DeGrazia’s murals, and unique with it's open-air ceiling. It is open to the public from sunrise to sunset and is available for small ceremonies.

Besides being enthralled by his series of art, especially his representations of the various cultures of the Sonoran southwest, I think what stand outs for me the most about DeGrazia and his Gallery in the Sun, is that he constantly created, utilizing just about any material he found interesting. To him, there were no limits – except for when it came to the IRS who wanted to charge inheritance taxes on his art. In 1976 he protested by hauling about 100 paintings up into the Superstition Mountains, and burned them.

To hear this story, and more about DeGrazia and his gallery and home, we interviewed Lance Laber, the Executive Director of the DeGrazia Foundation and DeGrazia Gallery in the sun. It was a fascinating interview that explored Ted DeGrazia’s colorful life, his art, family, gallery, and more.
To listen to the interview – please double click on the play button below.

Today, the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun is maintained by the DeGrazia Foundation which was established by the artist before his death to preserve his beloved gallery and his permanent exhibitions of his artwork. The DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in October 2006 because of its association with the life and art of Ettore "Ted" DeGrazia. Six permanent collections of paintings trace historical events and native cultures of the Southwest. Rotating exhibitions display some of the 15,000 DeGrazia originals housed at the gallery, including oils, watercolors, sketches, serigraphs, lithographs, sculptures and ceramics.