About the Museum, Gallery, and Historic District
Located at the base of the Santa Catalina mountains, the natural desert setting in the north foothills of Tucson sets the scene for the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum and Historic District. What started as a small construction project to escape the encroaching city in 1951 by local artist Ettore “Ted” DeGrazia, soon became a 13 building, artistic and architectural manifestation sprawled over 10 acres. Each brick and adobe building was hand built by DeGrazia and his friends. In 1965 the gallery was completed and opened to the public and remains so today as a celebration of DeGrazia's work and life. The museum and historic district includes the original gallery where DeGrazia displayed his work, the first home he built on the property, and the Mission in the Sun, a chapel built to honor Padre Kino and dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. There are six permanent collections on display, regular rotating exhibitions showcasing additional pieces from the 15,000-piece collection, and the Little Gallery showcases visiting artists’ work. At the conclusion of the self-guided tour, the museum’s consignment room displays original DeGrazia works for sale, or there are reproductions available in the gift shop. In addition to being a Tucson landmark, in 2006 the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.
National Historic Register Plaque
View of the Gallery from the Parking lot
About the Artist
Ettore ‘Ted’ DeGrazia is one of the Southwest’s most famous artists. Most prominently known for his colorful images of Native American children and depictions of the American Southwest, he was an impressionist, painter, sculptor, composer, actor, director, designer, architect, jeweler and lithographer. Born the son of Italian Immigrants in 1909 in Morenci, Arizona, it was here that his love of the Sonoran Desert and his appreciation of native cultures developed. He spent his early adult life between Tucson and Bisbee, AZ figuring out his art style, attending the University of Arizona, playing music, and interning with other local artists such as Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco. DeGrazia graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor’s in Art Education shortly after marrying his first wife, Alexandra Diamos in 1936. He continued to hone his artistic style while making a living managing the Lyric Theatre for his father-in-law and earning his second Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts.
Like many artists, DeGrazia struggled to get his work into galleries. But not to be dissuaded by being rejected by every local gallery, in 1944 he bought an acre of land in Tucson at Prince and Campbell to build his own studio. He completed his Master’s of Art Education in 1945, shortly after a scandal over a politically rebellious mural he had painted on the university campus decrying the commercialization of education. DeGrazia and Alexandra divorced in 1946, and shortly after the opening of his studio, he met Marion Sheret. A talented artist in her own right, the couple were married in 1947 at a small chapel in Mexico. Together they bought the 10-acre foothills land in 1949 and began construction on what would become the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum and Historic District.
In the mid 1950’s, DeGrazia finally started to gain recognition as a talented artist and in 1960 UNICEF chose his oil painting titled “Los Niños” for their holiday card. The sales of which sold millions worldwide and made DeGrazia a household name. DeGrazia and the gallery enjoyed continued success over the next couple of decades. Before his death in 1982, DeGrazia created the DeGrazia Foundation, entrusting the foundation to preserve and share his work and architecture for future generations. This foundation continues to work today, offering sessions for children to not only understand the history of DeGrazia, but also learn the different art mediums and techniques. The foundation also supports The Little Gallery, which showcases visiting artists’ work in the cooler months of the year.
More information about Ted DeGrazia can be found at the gallery's website, http://degrazia.org/ and at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettore_DeGrazia. This Wikipedia site is regularly maintained by the DeGrazia Foundation.
"Because I was born in the southwest, and live there, I live it with a passion." ~ Ted DeGrazia
Diego Rivera and DeGrazia 
"Los Niños" 
DeGrazia in front of main gallery entrance
Visiting the Gallery
Address: 6300 N Swan Rd, Tucson, AZ 85718
Phone: 520-299-9191
Email: [email protected]
The DeGrazia property and museum is open to the public every day of the week from 10am - 4pm.
Closed on New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Admission fees Annual Memberships
Adults - $8.00 Individual - $25.00 (includes two buddy passes)
Ages 13-18 - $5.00 Family - $55.00 (includes four buddy passes)
12 and under are free
Upon arrival to the property, visitors are advised to enter through the main gallery. Built in 1965, the main gallery, also known as The Gallery in the Sun, is home to the largest collection of Ted DeGrazia's work. Like all the buildings on the property it was hand built by DeGrazia himself, along with help from friends, and constructed of traditional adobe bricks made onsite. The entrance to the main gallery is adorned by two grand iron gates that were designed as a replica of the Yuma Territorial Prison gate.
The inside of the main gallery boasts unique design features such as cactus flooring and exposed wood beams and rafters. Located throughout the numerous rooms, the gallery is home to six permanent collections of DeGrazia's original work as well as rotating collections throughout the year. These include oil paintings, watercolors, ceramics, sketches, jewelry, and enamel on bronze artwork. The gallery even offers a room about the history of DeGrazia himself. In here you can find pictures of DeGrazia throughout his career and awards that he and his gallery have received on display. Also, provided is a 30-minute video biography produced by DeGrazia in the early 80's that loops throughout the day while the gallery is open.
Iron gates at gallery entrance
Cactus flooring / wood beams
Gallery room showcasing different mediums 
Gallery room featuring replica studio
All tours throughout the museum are self-guided. Visitors are welcome to explore the main gallery and encouraged to venture outside and explore the 10-acre foothills site. Throughout the property visitors will discover several buildings, including the original home of Ted and Marion DeGrazia along with their burial sites, a cactus corral, several outbuildings, the Little Gallery, and a chapel known as the Mission in the Sun.
Within the main building is a gift shop which offers reproduction note cards, calendars, prints and posters along with many gift items such as bells, ornaments, coasters, mugs, figurines, and vases. Copies of DeGrazia’s books, featuring his prints, artwork and commentary can also be purchased, along with CD’s of his musical works. Many of DeGrazia’s original works are also available for purchase from the consignment shop.
Permanent Collection Exhibits
1st Exhibit: "DeGrazia and Padre Kino"
2nd Exhibit: "DeGrazia Paints Cabeza de Vaca"
3rd Exhibit: "DeGrazia Paints Papago Indian Legends"
4th Exhibit: "Retrospective Collection"
5th Exhibit: "DeGrazia Paints the Yaqui Easter"
6th Exhibit: "DeGrazia Paints the Bullfight"
Current Exhibits (Rotational) - (As of February 15, 2024 - September 4, 2024)
1st Exhibit: "Rodeo"
2nd Exhibit: "Master Thesis Paintings"
Temporary Exhibit (Only Available through Easter each year): “The Way of the Cross”
DeGrazia's gravesite 
The Buildings
- Mission in the Sun 1952
- DeGrazia House 1952
- Island House 1954 (demolished)
- Ceramics Studio 1954
- Brian's House 1955
- Ghost House 1956
- Gate House 1960
- Gallery in the Sun 1965
- Garage 1966
- Nun's house 1968
- Underground House 1969
-
Apartment 1972
About the Mission in the Sun
The Mission in the Sun chapel is perhaps the most well-known structure at the museum. It was the first building built on the site and was dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe and to the memory of Padre Eusebio Kino, a Jesuit priest. The ceiling is open to the sky, and DeGrazia hand painted every wall with murals and included a large painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the brick altar. Visitors have used the Mission as a spiritual site often leaving photos and other mementos. The Mission has also hosted many weddings throughout the years, with people of all faiths welcome.
Unfortunately, on May 30, 2017, a fire heavily damaged the Mission. Thankfully, at the time of the fire there were no hanging pictures by DeGrazia inside the chapel, but the walls, murals and the roof were damaged. The chapel was closed to the public while it was being restored until its reopening in fall 2019. Sadly, 80% of the original murals were destroyed by the fire, but the conservators were able to preserve the remaining murals with plaster and recreate some of the original artwork in the chapel. However, because of the severity of the incident, some of the fire damage was retained as part of the history of the site.
“I built the mission for myself. I’m not a churchgoing man but I am a religious man and perhaps religious only within me. Religion to me is right or wrong. You do right and you’re a religious man. It’s not Catholic it’s just an old chapel for anybody who wants to go in there whether Christian or non-Christian.” – DeGrazia
Mission in the Sun before fire damage 
Mission in the Sun before fire damage 
Mission in the Sun fire damage
Mission in the Sun post-restoration
About the Little Gallery
As people who struggled finding galleries to display their own work, Ted and Marion DeGrazia were keenly aware of the difficulties artists face. Shortly after Ted DeGrazia’s death, Marion re-opened the Little Gallery as a venue for up-and-coming artists that want a chance to have their artwork displayed. The Little Gallery is only open during the cooler months of the year, from November through March, with each artist’s work displayed for two weeks. For more information on how to apply to exhibit your work, that information is available here.
Little Gallery’s List of Artists for the 2023-2024 Season
Nov 5, 2023 – Nov 17, 2023 Gail Staal, Two-dimension Galaxies, Landscapes & Portraits
Nov 19, 2023 – Dec 1, 2023 Carrie Campbell Knutsen, Two-dimensional Abstract Organic Forms
Dec 3, 2023 – Dec 15, 2023 Mark & Rae Mahaffey, Two & Three-dimensional Flora & Fauna of the Sonoran Desert
Dec 17, 2023 – Dec 29, 2023 Lynn Sakellar-Gekas, Two-dimensional Native American Dancers & Children (Closed Christmas Day)
Dec 31, 2023 – Jan 12, 2024 Ralph Prata, Two & Three-dimensional figures (Closed New Year’s Day)
Jan 14, 2024 – Jan 26, 2024 Carla Prinster & Karey Wilson, Three-dimensional Functional Ceramics
Jan 28, 2024 – Feb 9, 2024 Kristin Harvey, Two-dimensional Flora & Fauna of the Sonoran Desert
Feb 11, 2024 – Feb 23, 2024 John George, Three-dimensional Crystalline Glazed Porcelain
Feb 25, 2024 – Mar 8, 2024 Dee Ruff, Two & Three-dimensional Color Field Contemporary Abstract Mosaic Mixed Media
Mar 10, 2024 – Mar 22, 2024 Chip Travers, Two-dimensional Southern Arizona Culture
Mar 24, 2024 – Apr 5, 2024 Charlie Gaskill, Two-dimensional Color, Black & White Photographs of Elements of the Sonoran Desert
References:
DeGrazia Gallery of the Sun brochure, DeGrazia Gallery of the Sun Catalog of Reproductions
“DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Legendary Landmark of Art and Architecture.” DeGrazia GALLERY IN THE SUN, 2023, degrazia.org/.
Wikipedia contributors. "DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Historic District." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 6 Aug. 2023. Web. 17 Feb. 2024.
Wiley, Rick. “Photos: DeGrazia Mission in the Sun, Fire and Restoration.” Tucson.Com, 18 Oct. 2019, https://tucson.com/news/local/photos-degrazia-mission-in-the-sun-fire-and-restoration/collection_bc7403bc-5baa-11e9-8e7c-bb18bead3cae.html#3. Accessed 17 Feb. 2024.
