Born in Nebraska, Clarence William Anderson was an etcher, lithographer, illustrator and writer best known for his portrayal of horses. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago was a member of the Society of American Etchers. Anderson made a name for himself as an author and illustrator of children’s books under the name C.W. Anderson. He wrote over 40 books from the late 1930’s to the 1960’s most of which were centered around horses, including a popular series of stories about the adventures of a boy named Billy and his pony, Blaze.