R.C. Gorman
July 26, 1931- November 3, 2005

The world renowned Navajo artist, R.C. Gorman died of pneumonia on Thursday, November 3, 2005 at 12:20 pm MST, after a lengthy illness. Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico made the announcement at a news conference in Santa Fe. The Governor ordered flags in New Mexico to be flown at half-staff.

Gorman was legendary for his drawings, paintings and sculptures of colorful, blanketed, generously sized women. Gorman was quoted as stating, “I revere women…they are my greatest inspiration.”

New Mexico Cultural Affairs Secretary Stuart Ashman said that “Gorman will be remembered as one of the greatest Native American artists.”

A rosary was held on Sunday, November 6th and his funeral was on Monday, November 7th at 10am in Taos, New Mexico. He was buried in the cemetery on his property near his home in Taos.

Those of us who knew him, will always remember his humor, his personality and his beautiful artwork.

Rudolph Carl Gorman is a Navajo Indian who was born on the Reservation in Chinle Arizona in 1931. His grandmother, who told him enumerable stories about Navajo legends raised him. In 1958 Gorman received the first scholarship given by the Navajo tribe to study outside the United States. Gorman studied in Mexico City and received exposure to the extraordinary art of Zuniga, Tamayo, Rivera and Siqueiros. It was during this period that Gorman began his transition to figurative drawing. He began creating brilliantly costumed Navajo women working at their daily chores. In 1973 he was the only living artist to be included at the "Masterworks of the American Indian" show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Gorman's work is in many prestigious museum collections including: Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ; Philbrook Art Center, Tulsa, OK and the Department of the Interior, Washington, DC.