Jane Gold
On Nov. 30 On-the-Go leaders Brenda Rock and Karen Woodrow took The Women Of Quail Creek (TWOQC) members to two galleries, Madaras Gallery and DeGrazia Gallery. The group had a wonderful lunch at Vero Amore, a quaint Italian restaurant known for its Neapolitan pizzeria, certified by the Association Verace Pizza Napoletana. Everyone enjoyed a variety of fresh pizzas, pastas, and light Italian fare, plus some attendees enjoyed a glass of wine.
The group spent a little over an hour at the modern-day gallery of Diana Madaras. She has been painting for 25 years and has achieved Best Artist and Best Gallery of Tucson. Her paintings are produced with color and joy. The scenes of our colorful, bold Sonoran Desert and Tucson enthralled the attendees. Her gallery is not to be missed. She has something for everyone, from wall hangings to coasters, cutting boards, and greeting cards for sale. It is a “shopper’s delight.” She also includes in her gallery art from at least 25 other artists. Her gallery was the leaders’ happy spot, and the group thought so, too.
After lunch, the group traveled north to the DeGrazia Gallery. This is a very historical gallery, as Ted DeGrazia passed in 1982.
There are six permanent collections of paintings that trace historical exhibitions of the some 15,000 DeGrazia originals that are housed in this gallery. The group had a two-hour tour presented by the Foundation’s manager, which included a walk through DeGrazia’s home, the church he built on the grounds, and all the galleries. It was fascinating to hear about his motivation for his paintings.