As the Executive Director of the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun in Tucson, Lance is a frequent Big Blend Radio guest who shares the colorful stories about famed Arizona artist Ettore ‘Ted’ DeGrazia and provides update on new exhibits and special events at the gallery. Occasionally Lance and guitarist Domingo DeGrazia (Ted’s son) appear on the shows together, which has led to them being known as ‘The Two Tucson Dudes’!
DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun is a 10-acre historic district in the foothills of Tucson’s Santa Catalina Mountains. It was designed and built from the ground up by Ted DeGrazia who achieved worldwide acclaim for his colorful paintings of native cultures of the Sonoran desert. Using traditional adobe bricks crafted on-site, DeGrazia built the gallery so his paintings “would feel good inside”. Opened in 1965, the gallery is home to over 15,000 DeGrazia originals including oil paintings, watercolors, ceramics and sculptures. There are six permanent collections on display and several rotating exhibitions each year. A limited number of DeGrazia originals are available for purchase, while the gift shop and online store offers a wide variety of popular DeGrazia reproductions.
The grounds also features the Mission in the Sun, the artist’s original home, his gravesite, and the Little Gallery that hosts visiting artists during the winter months. DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun is maintained by the DeGrazia Foundation, which was established by the artist before his death to ensure the preservation of his beloved gallery and permanent exhibitions of his work for generations to come. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Learn more at www.DeGrazia.org.
