Scriver, CA

Robert Macfie

A Montana native, Scriver is a world-famous sculptor whose works emphasize the American West and he also specialized in animal art.  Commissions have included a statue of Charlie Russell, a piece for the Cowboy Hall Of Fame, and several works of Lewis and Clark.

Scriver was born in Browning, Montana in the heart of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in 1914.  He taught music until 1951 when he earned his master’s degree at The Vandercook School of Music.  Dissatisfied he decided to try something else, even though he was listed in “Who’s Who in Music”.

He became a taxidermist and created his own mounts.  In 1956 he established his own Museum of Montana Wildlife including a gallery for his clay sculptures and dioramas.  Finally, in 1956 he had his work cast in bronze for exhibition nationally and in Europe.  In 1967 he discontinued taxidermy and decided to pursue his sculpting full-time.

One of his biggest influences was Malvina Hoffman.  Like her, he familiarized himself with the cire perdue casting process.  Later he would create his own Bighorn Foundry using this process.

Growing up in Blackfeet Indian and cowboy country had a profound influence on his life and body of work.  This area is adjacent to Glacier National Park and epitomizes the rugged individual idealism which came to characterize the West.  He once said, “All my friends are either cowboys or Indians, I don’t know about any other kind of people.”  Bob Scriver remained in Browning until he passed away.

(1914 - 1999)