Opening Reception: “Midnight Sketches” and “Saint Francis of Assisi”

“The Midnight Sketches of Ted DeGrazia” and “Saint Francis of Assisi,” feature rarely seen works from the museum’s vault. “The Midnight Sketches of Ted DeGrazia” Exhibit Late at night while most of Tucson slept, renowned Arizona artist Ettore “Ted” DeGrazia would pick up a pen and begin to draw. Frequently using prepaid U.S. Mail postcards and envelopes as his canvas, these small watercolored pen-and-ink drawings include time notations of their completion between midnight and 5 a.m. DeGrazia began creating these works in 1955 and continued the practice for two decades. This new exhibit brings together a selection of these intimate, watercolored pen-and-ink drawings, offering visitors a glimpse into the artist’s late-night imagination and creative process. “Saint Francis of Assisi” Exhibit Opening alongside “The Midnight Sketches of Ted DeGrazia” exhibit is “Saint Francis of Assisi,” featuring DeGrazia’s interpretations of one of the world’s most recognized religious figures. Through drawings, prints, sculptures, and paintings created between 1950 and 1978, the exhibit traces nearly three decades of the artist’s engagement with Saint Francis and the themes of humility, compassion, and connection to the natural world. See “Ted DeGrazia’s Painted Ponies” Exhibit Too Visitors can also experience Ted DeGrazia’s Painted Ponies, a temporary exhibition examining the artist’s lasting fascination with carousel imagery. Created between 1948 and 1975, the works reveal how DeGrazia returned to the subject throughout nearly three decades of his career. The earliest pieces feature darker colors and mysterious riders, creating a mood that feels dreamlike and sometimes haunting. His later interpretations become brighter and more energetic, capturing the movement, wonder, and playfulness of the carousel. The exhibition also demonstrates DeGrazia’s willingness to explore a single subject through an extraordinary range of materials. Along with paintings and works on paper, visitors will encounter sculptural interpretations made from ceramic, steel, brass, bronze, silver, glass, and Nambé. Together, the works offer a rich look at how one recurring image continued to inspire DeGrazia across different periods, styles, and media. The DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum is nationally acclaimed and recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. The main gallery hosts several collections of DeGrazia’s original artwork, which depicts the history and the people of the Southwest. The Gallery is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for youth ages 12 – 18, and children under 12 are free. All three exhibits will be on display through January 27, 2027.

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Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3777132-0

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