R. C. Gorman

Rudolph Carl "R. C." Gorman was born in Chinle, Arizona on July 26, 1931 to Adele Katherine Brown and Carl Gorman, a Navajo Codetalker in WWII. Drawing since the age of 3, he was one of the most admired Native American artists of the Navajo nation. His paintings seem to mainly consist of Native American women shrouded with brilliant colors and fluid lines, creating a harmonious vision reflecting the Navajo spirit. While producing brilliant paintings, he also worked in sculpture, cooking, and stone lithography.

Shortly after high school, R. C. Gorman joined the Navy, pursued his education in literature and art at Northern Arizona University, and followed his passion for art at Mexico City College. He opened the first Native American-owned art gallery, Navajo Gallery, in Taos, New Mexico in 1968. While he has produced some of the most brilliant works in the Southwest, there was quite a bit of controversy that surrounded him throughout his life involving allegations of pedophilia (for more on this click here).

The Navajo Gallery is one of the oldest galleries in Taos and contains the largest collection of his work in the country. R.C. Gorman passed away at age 74 in Albuquerque, New Mexico on November 3, 2005.

You can see more of R. C. Gorman's artwork on his website: http://rcgormangallery.com/