John Clymer (1907-1989), After the Hunt, oil, 30 x 60 in. Basha Collection.

“While Clymer (1907-1989) painted what he loved, Eddie Basha (Arizona philanthropist) collected what he loved,” explains museum associate curator, Tammy Fontaine. “Once they became acquainted, their mutual interests in art and history solidified their friendship. And their mutual interests were further enhanced by the ever-present Doris Clymer, John’s wife, she herself a historian and full partner in all he sought to accomplish...”

John Clymer (1907-1989), Summer in the High Country, oil, 24 x 40 in. Basha Collection.

Clymer’s story starts with origins in Ellensburg, Washington, before finding himself on the East Coast as an illustrator. He returned to his Western roots during the late 1960s, “vividly portraying the majestic wildlife, determined explorers, hardy trappers and proud American Indians of the Western United States,” says Fontaine, who also notes that Clymer’s work encapsulates the people, places and predicaments of those who lived, explored or journeyed west during the 18th and 19th centuries. “He painted the rhythms of their lives; their many triumphs and tribulations, survivalist instincts, ingenuity, entrepreneurship and tenacity. And though his canvasses are artistic interpretations of various events that unfolded, his execution of subject matter…is period appropriate and further engage viewers into the many intricate details he portrayed.”

John Clymer (1907-1989), Alouette, oil, 30 x 60 in. Basha Collection.

Fontaine provides a brief synopsis of how the exhibition is organized at the museum, starting with images of early fur trade era, followed by one of Clymer’s famed pieces titled Alouette, showing quite the festivity among fellow trappers. “You’ll also not want to miss the splendor of The Métis Brigade, as you ride along with descendants of the Hudson Bay employees and their families while traveling in their Red River carts,” Fontaine says. 

John Clymer (1907-1989), Trading on the Columbia, oil, 30 x 60 in. Basha Collection.

If you happen to enter the exhibition from the opposite side, you’ll find After the Hunt; Sacajawea at the Big Water; Beaver Catch; and Frosty Morning, each representing one of the four organizational areas of the exhibit: First People, Epical History, Trappers and Traders, and Wildlife.