Originals
Do I have an original?
We should begin by tempering expectations: the odds are that you do not have an original.
The simplest way to determine whether you have an original is to look at it under magnification. A reproduction will have dots. You can see some examples of these dots here if you would like.
People often mistake canvas transfer prints for originals. Produced in the 1970s, canvas transfer prints were printed on canvas with a brush stroke textured gesso finish, and mounted on wooden stretcher frames like an oil painting. With the back of the raw canvas exposed when seen from behind, these prints are frequently mistaken for originals. A close examination with a high-powered magnifying glass will reveal the lithographic printing dots, and the lack of correlation between the textured brush strokes and DeGrazia’s predominant palette knife strokes. The colors in many of these prints have faded from UV exposure, primarily from unfiltered sunlight. These prints should be kept out of sunlight and lit with UV filtered light to forestall any further degradation, and periodically cleaned with a damp lint-free cloth. Unfortunately, these prints were produced in large unlimited editions and have no great resale value.
I have an artwork that says “from an original oil.” Do I have an original?
No. “From” here is being used to indicate the source or provenance of the reproduction. This is the same sense of “from” used in expressions like “DeGrazia was from Morenci.”
Do you do appraisals?
We do not. You can get a rough idea of what an original is worth, take a look at our consignment collection. For other items, we recommend looking at completed eBay auctions.
What do you mean by “reproduction”?
Please see our blog post.
Visiting
Are you open on…?
Probably. The Gallery is closed on New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Otherwise, we are open our usual hours of 10am – 4pm. We do not have reduced hours.
Is the Gallery outside?
No, the majority of the exhibits on the property are inside the main building, which is climate controlled. The Mission in the Sun, the DeGrazias’ first home and their graves are not, however.
Is there an admission charge for the gift shop?
No, visiting the gift shop, as well as the outside exhibits (i.e., the Mission, grave sites, first home, and Little Gallery (when open)) may be done without paying admission.
What does is mean that the Gallery closes at 4pm?
It means that at 4pm, all visitors need to be out of the Gallery. It does not mean that if you arrive by 4pm, you may stay as long as you would like.
Is it better to visit on the weekends or during the week?
The weekends tend to be a little more lively than the weekdays. Our director and curator are in most weekdays and are not in on the weekends. If you would like to purchase a certificate of authenticity for a work that you own or would like to discuss selling a DeGrazia original in our consignment room, you should come during the week as our weekend staff cannot assist you with either of these. Similarly, if you would like to purchase an item not currently in the Gallery (e.g., an unframed screenprint, a metal sculpture), you should come in during the week.
Do you sell food? Bottled water?
Generally, no. We have a water fountain in the courtyard. We do occasionally have food for special events, like La Festiva de Guadalupe, DeGrazia’s birthday, and show openings. Please see our events page for more information.
Other
Who owns the Gallery?
The Gallery is owned and operated by the DeGrazia Foundation.
How long will it take for my order to arrive?
Orders are generally filled over the weekend, and ship on Mondays. Most orders should arrive by that Saturday.
Do you host events?
We do not. The only space available to rent is the Mission in the Sun.
Do you ship internationally?
While we would like to, the shipping costs are prohibitive (typically three to six times the price of even lightweight items such as cards and prints).
Do you purchase reproductions?
We do not. This includes figurines, collector plates, and autographed or double-signed prints.
I received an email from you after placing an order but I think it’s spam
Please see our blog post on this topic.
I have another shipping related question
Please see our additional shipping-related questions.
I texted you but never heard back
Our phone number is a landline, and we cannot receive or reply to texts.
Do you have a list of the DeGrazia Goebel figurines?
We do not. Ron Murray wrote De Grazia Collectible Figurines: A Photographic and Technical Reference in 1999. We are not aware of any later editions.