Bead Maker

Bead Maker, a 1987 R.C. Gorman lithograph, celebrates the patient craft of Navajo beadwork through a softly modeled portrait of a seated woman at twilight, her bead-making tools and strands of finished beads arranged at her side. The horizon behind her glows with a dusty rose and violet sunset gradient that fades into cool lavender above, lighting her warm skin tones and earth-colored garments with a romantic evening glow. Her bowed posture and focused hands emphasize the meditative discipline of traditional craftwork, while Gorman’s rounded forms and gentle contours give the piece his signature contemporary softness. Signed and numbered from a limited edition, Bead Maker is a prized pick for collectors of Gorman lithographs, Navajo artisan imagery, and Southwest sunset scenes.