LIVING INDUCTEE
CLARENCE ROBERT “C.R.” MORRISON
DISTRICT 9 - YEAR 2025
Clarence Robert Morrison was born in Shelby, Montana, June 9, 1942, to John and Gladys Morrison. Clarence’s grandad came out to the Western frontier in 1916, from Scotland to live the American dream. The homestead was on the north slope of the Sweet Grass Hills. There were no modern conveniences in that tiny house not far from the Canadian border. John worked in the oil fields to make enough money to buy his parents’ ranch in 1947.
Being raised on a sheep and cattle ranch with very few visitors, Clarence was a shy young cowboy who enjoyed being by himself. He would go out and shoot his treasured .22 rifle, becoming a crack shot by the age of 13. At that time, he started trapping fur-bearing animals to help the family survive those challenging times.
When Clarence realized he had some independence, his favorite place was out with the horses. His first horse was a buckskin gelding that didn’t like people. Clarence worked with that horse, and upon trusting Clarence, their relationship was strengthened. They would ride all over the countryside, crossing into Canada. The pastures were thousands of acres; ranches were scattered. The cowboys living there rode the best quarter horses Clarence ever saw. Those cowboys taught him the proper way of training a horse. Clarence also learned from his Uncle Jimmy, one of the top hackamore men in Montana.
By the age of 16, Clarence attended high school in Chester, Montana. He lodged at a boarding house about 40 miles from the ranch. That was an eye opener for the country cowboy. Back on the home range, Clarence went to work for a neighbor, Nelson Bingham. Nelson was a great influence and mentor to Clarence. He took an interest in that artist-to-be, buying Clarence his first paint and brush set. Nelson recognized Clarence’s special artistic talent and told Clarence he’d one day become a world-famous artist. Nelson lived to see it.
Clarence started following the rodeo circuit in the early 1960s, but that kind of horse business wasn’t for him. In 1962 he met Alice Pursley, and married her the next year in Big Sandy, Montana. They had a daughter, Darci, in 1965. Clarence worked for various companies in the drilling industry and at a few other jobs, including auctioneer. His interest turned to firearms. He became a professional firearms expert in both handguns and rifles, earning the State Championship many times.
In 1974, Clarence traveled to Texas to work for Paul Curtner, a friend and another great influencer. Clarence loved being with Paul who was one of the leading Quarter Horse businessmen in Texas. Clarence learned all he could about the profession. The two of them crisscrossed all over the country buying the best quarter horse mares they could find. By 1979, Paul knew Clarence should be an artist. So…. Clarence packed his things and went home to Havre, Montana. He began painting, and knowing painting was not the only thing he could shine at, he also started sculpting. He soon came to realize this was what he was to do for the rest of his life. This is when Clarence Robert became C.R. Morrison, one of the leading western artists of today.
In 1979 C.R. put his heart and soul into becoming the artist he knew he could be. He opened his first gallery in Havre. C.R. knew he needed to get his name out, so back to Texas he went. Paul once again was there to encourage him. C.R. started to sell his artwork, going to some of the best horse shows. It did not take long for word to get out that C.R.’s artwork was the art to have. He opened another gallery in Fort Worth, Texas. Things started to soar.
C.R. found it was hard to travel from northern Montana to major horse events. In the spring of 1982, he and his family moved to Livingston, Montana, to be more centrally located. C.R. opened and operated his own gallery there for ten years. That same year C.R. was contracted to create original trophies for the National Reining Horse Association, National Reined Cow Horse Association, and other Western disciplines as well. He continued producing new sculptures using experiences from his life for inspiration. Many of the creations C.R. made came from true events. This is why each sculpture came to life.
In 1983 C.R. attended major quarter horse shows at Fort Worth, Lexington, Congress in Columbus, Ohio, and the AQHA World Show in Oklahoma City. He was blessed to have two dependable foundries to cast his bronzes at full capacity with a shipping procedure down pat. It took that to keep up with the orders.
In his heydays from 1980 to 2010, C.R. produced, sold, and shipped approximately 15,000 certified bronzes. They went to all 50 states as well as Canadian provinces and nine foreign countries. His heart, though, was back at the Morrison ranch in Shields Valley close to Clyde Park, Montana. There he created each bronze with precision and love.
During this time, he realized his love of working one on one with a horse was missing from his life. He learned to train horses and show them in the arena with grace and confidence. C.R. learned from the best trainers in the world. He managed to become a Non-Pro Reining Champion several times. He was the founder of the Montana Reining Horse Association, making the association one of the best in Montana.
These days you will find C.R. in his studio doing what he loves, being an artist and putting out a few new bronzes and paintings a year. As a leather craftsman, he creates one-of-a-kind leather projects.
C.R. Morrison, is an “old-time cowboy” with “old-time beliefs.” The Lord always comes first! Believing that some people are born into the providence of the Lord, he is guided by the Holy Spirit to work with his hands and produce the artwork he does.