R.C. Gorman Sculptures

Beautiful molded handmade paper relief of two women by Navajo artist Rudolph Carl (R.C.) Gorman. Signed and dated (1987) lower left. Edition number 60/150 lower right. Displayed in a wood frame. Gorman grew up in a traditional Navajo hogan and began drawing at age 3. He credited a teacher, Jenny Lind at Ganado Presbyterian Mission School, for his inspiration to become a full-time artist. After he left high school, he served in the Navy before entering college, where he majored in literature and minored in art at Northern Arizona University. In 1958, he received the first scholarship from the Navajo Tribal Council to study outside of the United States, and enrolled in the art program at Mexico City College.[4] There he learned of and was influenced by the work Diego Rivera. He later studied art at San Francisco State University. Gorman learned about the work of the Mexican social realists: Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros, and Rufino Tamayo. He became inspired by their colors and forms to change from abstraction to abstract realism. He used abstract forms and shapes to create his own unique, personal realistic style, recognizable to all who are acquainted with his work. While in Mexico, he also learned stone lithography from a master printer, Jose Sanchez. He used lithography throughout his life as a means of making original multiple images of his inspirations, often working by drawing directly on the stones from which the lithographs were printed. Gorman moved from California to New Mexico, opening the R. C. Gorman Navajo Gallery in Taos in 1968. It was the first Native American-owned art gallery in Taos. In 2003, he donated his personal library to Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona. He died at age 74 on November 3. New Mexico governor Bill Richardson...