New Fall Exhibits Opening September 4, 2026

Please join us Friday, September 4 from 5 to 7 p.m., as we celebrate the opening of two new exhibits: The Midnight Sketches of Ted DeGrazia and Saint Francis of Assisi. Enjoy light refreshments and be the first to see these long-hidden works at this free, public reception.

The Midnight Sketches of Ted DeGrazia

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

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.

Ted DeGrazia’s Painted Ponies

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.

All three exhibits will be on display through January 27, 2027.

About DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum

Visitors to the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum are treated to a variety of permanent and rotating exhibits featuring DeGrazia’s vibrant impressionistic works that showcase his genuine love for the native cultures and scenery of the Sonoran Desert. A prolific artist, he worked in almost every medium including paintings, sculptures, and textiles.

The DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for youth ages 13-18, and children under 12 are free.