Peter Donaldson Shares a Legacy of Catholic Art across the Diocese of Tucson

By Carissa Krautscheid

Catholics across Tucson have likely seen a wide array of Mexican tile art depicting Saints and other religious scenes. Once you start looking, any pilgrim visiting San Xavier del Bac Mission or Santa Cruz Parish will notice a resemblance between the many scenes installed at parishes, schools, and other Catholic organizations. While these may seem unrelated, the art does in fact have a common origin.

The common thread woven across Tucson, reaching to California and all the way to Nigeria, is Peter Donaldson. Decades ago, Peter developed a hobby of mounting Mexican tile scenes that he had found at a small shop in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. He had already mounted about 15 non-religious scenes when his next visit to a Mexican tile shop became transformational.

In between vacations to Mexico, Peter enjoyed browsing the tiles at the Mexican Tile Store in Tucson. On one particular visit, Peter’s eye was caught by a striking depiction of St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

“I said to myself, ‘Wow! That Mexican tile artist is very skilled.’ But I paid for my other tile pieces and actually walked out the back door. Then, ‘a miracle’ happened. I have no other way to explain it. To this very day, I still remember the words spoken in my head that day: ‘Come back. Don't leave me here!’ I immediately stopped dead in my tracks, wondering what was going on. ‘Okay,’ I said to myself, ‘I hear you!’ I went back into the store and purchased her, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. To this very day, this ‘divine’ experience still astounds me!"

But Peter wasn’t sure what to do with a religious scene, as he’d never installed one like this before. As a parishioner of St. Thomas the Apostle, Peter asked his pastor, Father Todd O’Leary. Father Todd suggested Santa Cruz Parish as a suitable home for the piece because the parish, like Saint Thérèse, is part of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites. The pastor at Santa Cruz loved the Mexican tile scene and St. Thérèse of Lisieux became the first of nine installations at the parish.

Peter set out on what he considered his "St. Thérèse-ordained task" of donating – completely free of charge – the art and installation of religious tile scenes to various Catholic churches, schools, and organizations. Over the past two decades, Peter has presented this unique tiled artwork to visitors and to the people of Tucson for their enjoyment and inspiration, and as the contribution and legacy of a fellow devoted soul.

At 81 years old, Peter is determined to continue his mission as long as possible despite severe arthritis. Recently on July 12, 2022, Peter installed his fifth Mexican tile scene at San Xavier Mission. This intricate scene, painted by a skilled artist in Mexico, depicts Saint Kateri Tekakwitha as a child. Peter delights in the youthful elements of flowers and her toy papoose. He cleverly matched “Little Saint Kateri”, located in the Mission School courtyard, to the “Adult Saint Kateri” that is installed in the west courtyard of the Mission Church.

Enjoy photos of Peter’s Mexican tile art that can be found across the Diocese of Tucson and beyond. Consider taking a local pilgrimage to visit new parishes in our community and stop to appreciate Peter’s art and contribution along the way.

San Xavier del Bac Mission

 "Little Saint Kateri" - Peter wanted to balance the gateway at San Xavier Mission School with a tile scene for the girls. On July 12, 2022, it was mounted on the courtyard wall by the Turtle Gate where San Xavier students leave to board their school buses. 

 Peter installed the new tile scene with the assistance of his friend Arvin and San Xavier staff member, Ignacio.


"Notice the similarity of the setting between the adult Kateri with the Little Kateri. I used the same setting for both: Kateri sitting on a hillside. No colorful flowers for the adult Kateri and she is holding a plain Christian cross."
  
 The second wall-mounted tile scene in San Xavier Mission School's courtyard was installed just before Christmas 2021. Peter is pictured here with the "Boys' Cherub" and Sister Hanna, formerly a second grade teacher at this mission elementary school.

San Xavier del Bac Mission Church has three tile scenes wall-mounted in their west courtyard near the restrooms. "I hope that the parish will accept one final wall-mounted tile scene of Our Lady of Guadalupe in mid-September."
 - Saint Francis of Assisi
 - St. Anthony of Padua - Peter installed this lovely depiction of St. Anthony and personally added the table, plants, and prayer cards for visitors to enjoy. Pilgrims have left prayers in the terracotta pots for St. Anthony's intercession.

Santa Cruz Parish

Santa Cruz Parish features 8 or 9 wall-mounted pieces in their courtyard with another at the parish school.

 "The Holy Family" was purchased by Fr. John Williamson, OCD, to give to a beloved parishioner family of Santa Cruz parish.
 "The Good Shepherd" is mounted permanently at Santa Cruz. This image reminds Peter that all are created in God's image. Each person is called to accept the fullness of God's love for them. Peter too tries to "love thy neighbor as thyself."

 "The Infant Jesus of Prague" is located outside Santa Cruz's parish CCD office.

St. Helen in Oracle

St. Helen Parish has two tile scenes: one outside and the other in their parish hall on plywood.
 This is a larger, but duplicate image of a smaller tile scene wall-mounted outside the sacristy door at Santa Cruz. "I had presented this particular one years ago to Nigerian priest and pastor, Fr. Joe Neitlong, for his parish. It is mounted with a plywood backing, also with twin embedded hooks for hanging. I myself, with his assistance, hung it for his parishioners in the parish hall."

Peter also wall-mounted a duplicate "Santo Niño de Antocha" at St. Helen, a second copy of the one that he had previously donated to Santa Cruz. This is now displayed in the St. Helen church courtyard.  


"This unique and very special tile scene of Jesus' Sacred Heart is attracting much outwardly-expressed devotion from its parishioners and from the nearby population," said Peter. "Some younger parishioners will genuflect first, rise, kiss their own hand, and extend their arm to touch the exposed full palm of Jesus' illustrated right hand."









Added later in February 2025, this is Peter's final tile scene. Installed at Santa Cruz Parish in Tucson, it depicts Our Lady of Guadalupe and the craftsman.

Immaculate Heart High School

Immaculate Heart High School has one wall-mounted tile scene of the Good Shepherd from Psalm 23. Peter also posted a modern translation of Psalm 23 for students to reflect on as they view the image of the Good Shepherd.

St. Margaret Mary Parish

St. Margaret Mary in Tucson features two tile scenes, one wall, other on plywood. One features Mary, Patroness of Children and the Preborn.
 
The second is of Our Lady of Guadalupe: 5-inch square tiles framed and mounted 10-feet off the ground, on the upper wall of St. Margaret's parish hall. "It was, without a doubt, the MOST difficult as well as potentially dangerous tile scene I ever mounted. But, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Juan Diego's original tilde with this exact image, this is HOW it is displayed... on an interior wall 10 feet off the floor! Another, but secondary reason why I chose to mount it this high is because this extraordinary tile scene is now priceless! I didn't want anyone to be easily able to either harm or destroy it."

Fatima Women's Center in Tucson

Fatima Women's Center has two tile scenes on plywood.
 "Our Lady of Fatima" was hung in the medical doctor's consultation office at Fatima Women's Center.
"Coming to Mary, Queen of Heaven" was donated to Fatima Women's Center to display in their waiting room. The depiction of Mexican children is beloved by the staff at Fatima Women's Center as well as by the Hispanic mothers and their children.

Salpointe Catholic High School

Salpointe has two small tile scenes mounted on plywood, displayed together in one of their conference rooms. As an active parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Peter got to know Monsignor Al Schifano at the noon Masses. Peter was a frequent Eucharistic Minister, Usher, and Altar Server at Mass. Another frequent attendee of that Mass was Federal Judge John M. Roll who often served as either a Lector or an Usher for the Offertory collection. "I got to know both him and his wife, Maureen, well as they usually sat in a pew near us. What a saintly man he was! My wife and I broke down in tears when we first learned of his murder, back in 2011." In his memory, Peter created a tile scene of Judge John Roll. It is now at Salpointe, placed in one of their conference rooms.

Peter was then invited to brainstorm with Salpointe staff to develop a memorial tile scene for Fr. John Malley, O.Carm., who was a principal at Salpointe before he passed on in 2012. Ideas included butterflies, hummingbirds, the Carmelite crest, Fr. John's motto, and Psalm 116:15. Peter collected photographs and floral vines to give Nacho, his tile guy, to copy onto tiles.

Nigeria

Peter's favorite African-motif tile scene is of the African Madonna and Child. Fr. Joe Neitlong took this and two others back to his native country of Nigeria in West Africa. Peter was very careful to number the 72 tiles, bubble-wrap, and store them safely in a hard-shelled suitcase. "All 72 tiles made it safely and unscathed back to his native country. I had even offered to fly over and mount them for him, but, my wife put the kibosh on my far-flung idea."

St. Veronica's Women's Center, San Bernardino, CA

"At our retirement community of SaddleBrooke years ago, I was introduced to the director of the St. Veronica's Women Center, also known as Veronica's Home of Mercy, located in San Bernardino, CA. I told him that I love to both commission and donate completed tile scenes, especially of a religious nature. This one would be mounted with a plywood backing with embedded twin hanging hooks. Somehow, it would be transported out to CA when finished. As luck would have it, I met a married couple who lived near LA, but would come to SaddleBrooke almost monthly to visit the wife's family. They agreed to take this tile scene to San Bernardino. I'm assuming this touching name-sake tile scene still resides there."

Discalced Carmelite's Motherhouse in Redlands, CA

 "Five Spanish Carmelite martyrs once served at one of the Carmelite parishes here in Tucson," said Peter. "Each of the five were stationed here in Tucson just after the turn of the 20th century, in the early 1900s. Later, each was called back to Spain, and became caught up in the Spanish Civil War in the mid-1930s. The Fascists raided their parish residences, dragged them out, and murdered these holy priests in cold blood.  Some of these martyrs' bodies were later found, while others were never found.  

"Nacho, I was told, had a very hard time in completing this work because of all the paintings' details. Nevertheless, he succeeded and did a phenomenal job. This special memorial tile scene is mounted with a plywood backing for mobility. I also added 'dark, blood-red' tile borders to show that these five Carmelite priests shed their blood in Christ's name. Truly, in all respects, martyrs! This special tile scene was displayed on its easel at St. Augustine's Cathedral at a special Mass to honor the present-day Carmelites serving the Diocese of Tucson. I'm assuming that this special tile scene now sits in the Carmelite's motherhouse in Redlands, CA."
"Saint Joseph" depicted in an icon style. A priest at Santa Cruz Parish introduced Peter to the Greek iconography style.

Domestic Art

 "This Indian Paint Pony was supposed to be for ME only, but my daughter Kris said, 'Daddy, can I have it to display in my house?' So, that's where it now hangs. What's a Dad to do??"
In addition, Kris has a plywood scene of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Her backyard is full of non-religious wall-mounted tile scenes adorning her masonry walls. She finally told her Dad, "No mas!"

More About Peter Donaldson

Peter was a Franciscan seminarian for six years in the New York City / Boston province. He is pictured here at age 23 in the Franciscan habit.

"At age 27, I met a fellow teacher, whom I fell in love with and whom I wanted as a life partner. I was an elementary teacher and Eleanor, Spanish. In August of 1969, we tied the knot with two priests as witnesses, a Jesuit and a Benedictine. Me, 28 and Eleanor, 24. God was watching over our marriage, and still is, now 53 years later!!"

When they moved to Catalina, AZ, Peter and Eleanor took a day trip to the artist town of Tubac where Peter purchased his first three tile scenes. Since Peter knew nothing about mounting Mexican tile at the time, he asked his landscaper to mount them on a masonry wall at his home. Peter watched and quickly learned how to mount the tiles himself. "After that, I went crazy purchasing new Mexican tile scenes and mounting them myself. I put up seven or eight at our house, and then started mounting them at our daughter's house too."

Peter and Eleanor traveled often to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, where Peter got connected with a fantastic Mexican tile artist, Nacho, who did his work farther south in Satillo, Mexico. The tiles are then shipped up to Rocky Point where Peter would pick them up and later install them at parishes and schools across the Diocese of Tucson.