R.C. Gorman Art

R.C. Gorman (1931 – 2005) was born in Chinle, Arizona. He was born to Adele Katherine Brown and Carl Gorman who was a teacher, painter, and code taker. Gorman started drawing when he was only 3 years old. His desire to become an artist was ignited by his grandmother who used to narrate to him the Navajo legends and also enumerated to him the genealogy of his artistic ancestors. While in Canyon de Chelly tending sheep with his aunts, he could draw on anything he could lay his hands on including sand, mud, rocks, etc. he also used to make sculptures with clay. Gorman studied at Ganado Presbyterian Mission School before joining the Navy. After a short stint at the Navy, he enrolled at Northern Arizona University to study art and literature. Gorman later studied art at Mexico City College under scholarship from the Navajo Tribal Council. He also studied art at San Francisco State University. In 1968 he moved to New Mexico and opened R.C. Gorman Navajo Gallery, the first gallery to be owned by a Native American. Gorman’s art was shown at the 1973 “Masterworks of the American Indian" show which was held in New York at the Metropolitan Museum. He was the only living artist whose work was shown at this show. . One of his pieces was selected for the cover of the catalog for the exhibit. His famous friends and collectors of his work included Jackie Onassis, Lee Marvin, Erma Bombeck, Gregory Peck, Barry Goldwater, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, Elizabeth Taylor and fellow artist Andy Warhol. Framed R.C. Gorman art are found wit many other collectors allover the world.