DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum, Tucson

First time here and will be back. It was like walking through the mind and soul of an artist’s evolution. Fascinating stuff.. There is a lot of information including a looping video of DeGrazia talking about himself to take in all at once. We came on a 105F day and inside was cool and calm. The outside area was interesting but it was a little too hot to explore fully. Gift shop had a few prints available to purchase.

I have a feeling that many people have never heard of Ettore (Ted) DeGrazia. Our party of four had not. We googled things to do in Tucson and the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun populated. What an experience. The man, who passed in 1982, was wildly prolific, creating thousands of artworks. He must have worked constantly for decades. His style is simple yet deeply communicative and endearing. He painted what he experienced in life, especially social conditions & issues, strife, and other human conditions of his day. We thought we'd walk through in 15 minutes. No. Two hours. The surprisingly large sprawling adobe compound snakes from room to room to room, each dedicated to a period in DeGrazia's life, or a particular theme. The tour ends with a stroll through an enclosed outdoor paradise filled with mature cactus, trees and shrubs all adorned with somewhat hidden, unexpected sculptures and small pieces of metal art. On the property, adjacent to the gallery is the chapel, special unto itself. You'll enjoy your visit.