Every year around Tucson's birthday, DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun holds a party and invites the community over for treats.
The gallery was built by Ted DeGrazia, who gallery marketing director Susan Vance called "the quintessential Tucsonan."
The gallery, 6300 N. Swan Road, celebrated Tucson's 236th birthday Friday with cake and ice cream.
According to www.tucsonsbirthday.org, Aug. 20 marks the date the Presidio de Tucson was established in 1775. But various groups held celebrations throughout the month.
Since DeGrazia grew up in Morenci, he had a lot of friends who were Mexican-American and Native American, Vance said.
"He grew up with those cultures and it stayed with him throughout his life and artwork," she said.
Many of his paintings portray the history of the Southwest, with an emphasis on those cultures.
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If you go
DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun
• Where: 6300 N. Swan Road
• Hours: The gallery is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. every day except Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's
• Admission: Free
• For more information: Go to www.degrazia.org or call 299-9191
Contact photographer Mamta Popat at mpopat@azstarnet.com or 349-5359.
