#throwback‬thursday

[degraziagalleryinthesun]

While living in Bisbee, Arizona in the 1930’s DeGrazia started creating art as a social statement about class struggle. “Mining” is a triptych depicting mining companies and the indispensable role of the workers who operate the machinery. Happy Throwback Thursday!

“Mining”, oil on canvas, from 1936 will be on display in our new exhibit “DeGrazia Underground: Miners and Prospectors of the Old West”. Please join us tomorrow evening, from 5-7pm, for our opening reception. The event is free and open to the public.

[degraziagalleryinthesun]

While DeGrazia was sitting at Rosita's Mexican Restaurant (located next to his first studio) a man walked in and shouted to him from across the room. He said," Hey! You DeGrazia?!" DeGrazia did not reply, and kept talking with his friend. The man, who obviously did not like the artist, strode over to his table and interrupted him. He said to DeGrazia, "You're that guy who thinks you can paint on whatever you want, right? No rules, you just do whatever you want!" DeGrazia still did not say anything. There was a basket of tortillas on the table, so Ted took one out and began to paint it. When he finished, he took his brush and he autographed the angry man's clean, white shirt. Before the man stormed out, cursing at the artist, the only thing DeGrazia said to him was, "Now I have painted on everything." The man did not bother to take his original tortilla painting with him, so DeGrazia kept it and it’s on display at the gallery. Happy Throwback Thursday!