TED DEGRAZIA’S
MIDNIGHT SKETCHES and SAINT FRANCIS WORKS
ON DISPLAY THIS FALL
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 US Mail postcards and envelopes as his canvases, his small watercolor pen-and-ink drawings included time notations for their completion between midnight and 5 a.m.
DeGrazia began creating these works in 1955 and continued the practice for two decades. A new exhibit, The Midnight Sketches of Ted DeGrazia, brings together a selection of these intimate, watercolored pen-and-ink drawings, o ering visitors a glimpse into the artist’s latenight imagination and creative process.
Opening alongside the exhibit is Saint Francis of Assisi, featuring DeGrazia’s interpretations of one of the world’s most recognized religious fi gures. 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.
Both exhibits open September 4, 2026, at DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum and remain on display through January 27, 2027. In addition to Midnight Sketches and Saint Francis of Assisi, the Gallery’s current temporary exhibits include Ted DeGrazia’s Painted Ponies.
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.
During your visit, you can also wander through the ethereal adobe architecture and verdant desert garden of this historic foothills property. Hand-built by DeGrazia, the 10-acre site stands as a testament to his legacy of artistic brilliance and his genuine connection to the region’s history, culture, and scenery.
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 12 and under are free.
