Statement
My paintings are about direct engagement with objects and places. Each work is made on-site, in the field, and records the physical presence of natural forms as they are. Shapes, lines, surfaces—the fundamental structure of things. The work is about observation—a practice shaped by years of looking and recording—and what that reveals about the nature of light, color, and space.
The current series, Field Notes, spans Multiple locations in the Western United States and Europe, including the volcanic wilderness of the Icelandic Highlands. Each painting is a record of specific specimens and terrains, presented as evidence of their own context. The works don’t interpret—they mark presence.
These paintings are part of an archive developed over 14 years. There are 153 in total, each categorized by origin: biological, geological, atmospheric, hydrological, cosmic, or anthropogenic. This classification of archetypes provides a framework for understanding how objects relate to their environment and to each other. The archive is not about individual moments; it is about the cumulative weight of these records over time.
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Biography
Vander McClain (b. 1973) is a Seattle-based artist whose work has been recognized for its innovative and contemplative approach to landscape painting. In 2022, he was honored as a new and emerging artist by Bank of America at the Seattle Art Fair.
McClain earned his MFA in painting from Parsons School of Design in New York, where he studied under Glenn Goldberg. He received his BFA from Oklahoma State University, studying with Marty Averett, who helped shape his foundational approach to art.
A pivotal moment in McClain’s career was his apprenticeship with master printmaker Bill Goldston at Universal Limited Art Editions (ULAE) in New York. There, he collaborated on lithography editions for renowned artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Julian Lethbridge, and Terry Winters, gaining invaluable insight into process and technique. Additionally, he served as a studio assistant for celebrated artists Jane Hammond, Elizabeth Murray, Carroll Dunham, and Laurie Simmons, experiences that further enriched his artistic practice.
McClain’s work has been exhibited in galleries in New York and has gained recognition for its methodical yet emotive exploration of nature’s forms. He lives between Seattle, Washington and Hamburg, Germany, where his practice bridges the intersection of art, nature, and human connection.
curriculum vitae
Awards
2022
Seattle Art Fair: Bank of America New Artist/New Collectors
“A Selection Committee of esteemed art world experts selected 10 artworks at the seattle art fair. All chosen works highlight this notion of innovation, either an artist making their debut at the fair or working with a new medium, or a gallery presenting an artist new to their roster.”–Seattle Art Fair: Bank of America New Artist/New Collectors
exhibitions
2024
Exhibition: “Embodiment”
“Vander McClain documents solitary moments within the vast continuance of time and nature through his gauche and ink drawings of found and natural objects discovered in remote areas of the American West.” –AMcE Creative Arts Gallery, Seattle, WA, May 2024
Embodiment, AMCE Creative Arts, Seattle, WA
2023
Exhibition: “stasis”
“AMcE Creative Arts is delighted to present Stasis, a group show of artists working with elements of the natural world as their muse.” –AMcE Creative Arts Gallery, Seattle, WA. April 2023
Stasis, AMCE Creative Arts, Seattle, WA
Exihbition: “Locally Sourced”
“AMcE Creative Arts is delighted to present Locally Sourced, a group show featuring 13 emerging and established Seattle-based artists of varying media including painting, collage, glass, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and mixed media.” –AMcE Creative Arts Gallery, Seattle, WA, February 2023
locally sourced, AMCE Creative Arts, Seattle, WA
2022
Commission: “Wayward, Taos”
“A collection of 36 paintings captured in the Taos region of New mexico capturing the rich intersection of geologic, ecologic, and culture objects. ” –Loge Camps, Taos, NM September, 2022
locally sourced, AMCE Creative Arts, Seattle, WA
Commissions
2022
Commission: “Wayward, Taos”
“A collection of 36 paintings captured in the Taos region of New mexico capturing the rich intersection of geologic, ecologic, and culture objects. ” –Loge Camps, Taos, NM September, 2022
Notes from the field, AMCE Creative Arts, Seattle, WA
Education
1999
Parsons School of Design, MFA, Painting, New York, NY
1995
Oklahoma State University, BFA, Studio Art, Stillwater, Ok
1990 & 1991
Oklahoma Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain, artist Robert Zakanitch, Quartz Mountain, OK
Apprenticeship
1993
Universal Limited Art Editions (ULAE), Printmakers Apprentice under Bill Goldston & artist assistant for associated artists, West Islip, Long Island, Ny
Lecturer
2022
University of Washington, School of Art + Art History + Design. Lecturer, Graduate Program, Design, 2022, Seattle, WA
2004
Academy of Art University, Lecturer, Graphic Design 3, 2004, Seattle, WA
Juror
2024
Cannes Lions Juror, Design, an international festival awarding the world's most prestigious advertising awards. June, 2024, Cannes, France