Grand reopening of Clymer Museum features CWU student’s work

Margot Massey has known for years what she wants to be when she grows up.

The junior Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) student at Central Washington University started painting and sculpting during her freshman year of high school, and she soon learned that she wanted to spend every day of her life creating.

“I come from a family of artists,” said Massey, who grew up in Kennewick. “My mom is an art teacher and my siblings are all very creative. So it’s not a huge surprise that I want to become a professional artist.”

When it came time to choose the next step in her education, Massey was already familiar with Ellensburg since her sister Meredith (’23) studied graphic design at Central. But she also felt drawn to the town because of its renowned arts scene.

“The Ellensburg arts scene is pretty big, which has been nice,” Massey said. “I have been working at the Clymer Museum of Art since 2024, and through that experience, I have built a strong community of fellow artists.”

Massey’s connections at the museum have opened the door for her to share her works with a larger audience beginning this Friday. For the next 12 weeks, her exhibition “Plastic Souls” will occupy a new gallery space at the newly renovated Clymer Museum.

“They needed an artist to feature when they reopened, so I just asked,” said Massey, a receptionist at the museum. “Clymer’s work has been very inspirational for me, and to have an opportunity to showcase my work in this amazing space is such a huge honor.”

“Plastic Souls” will be unveiled to the public on Friday, May 1, at the gallery’s grand reopening celebration at 4:30 p.m. in downtown Ellensburg.

Massey said the title of her exhibit relates to the concepts of artificiality and performance that exist in the real world and in our online personas.

“David Bowie coined the phrase ‘plastic souls,’ and I found myself drawn to the artificialness of that style,” said Massey, a 2025-26 recipient of the C. Farrell Fine Arts and Research Scholarship. “That’s what I’m trying to get across in my work.”

She explained that the exhibit’s theme centers around hyperconnectivity of social media and how online platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok allow people to construct an entirely new reality for themselves.

“We parallel social media and Hollywood to make a curated image of ourselves,” Massey said. “It’s all centered around performance, and social media is a platform that allows anyone to have an audience.”

Massey’s paintings feature a variety of actors and performers, such as showgirls, cowboys, and rodeo clowns. She often uses her friends as subjects for her work, and she looks forward to seeing many of them at Friday’s opening.

The exhibit will also feature two life-size figurative sculptures, although those won’t be ready to present until June.

“I used a different model for each painting,” she said. “But my friends and family haven’t seen the finished works yet. I’m excited for them to see it all in one place.”

To see more of Massey’s work, check out @margotmasseyart on Instagram.

Lasting Partnership with CWU

The nonprofit Clymer Museum of Art has been closed for renovations since January, but the board of directors is ecstatic about this week’s grand reopening, as well as what’s to come for the space at 416 North Pearl Street.

The museum’s namesake, John Ford Clymer, is an Ellensburg native who is regarded as one of the top five Western artists in U.S. history. And while he specialized in Western-themed paintings, he explored a wide variety of themes.

“It’s not just Western art,” board member Andrew Hatlestad said. “Clymer created a diverse body of work, and we are fortunate to have a pretty wide assortment here.”

As part of the grand reopening, the main museum gallery will display 75 original John Clymer works from its extensive collection — the largest private collection in the country with 135 paintings. Overall, the museum has expanded its wall space by roughly 30%, allowing the board to expand its offerings to CWU art students like Massey.

“We wanted to have more variety, and when we decided to renovate, we thought this new gallery would be a nice way to celebrate our partnership,” Hatlestad said, adding that the museum offers two $2,500 to CWU students every year.

The “Plastic Souls” exhibit will occupy a new gallery space near the entrance, where the gift shop used to be. Hatlestad explained that the Clymer Museum board is looking forward to highlighting the work of more CWU students in the months and years to come.

“We have a lot of great connections with the CWU art department, and we love being able to showcase the work of their students,” he said.