Alex, Christin, Nabil, Ally, Daniel and Bella
Art Historian and teacher Robert "Bob" McClain and his wife, University of Oregon Professor of Japanese Language and Literature Dr. Yoko Matsuoka McClain, would visit printmakers and collect original prints during their trips to Japan, then sell the prints when they returned home. Over time Bob became interested in learning how to make woodblock prints himself and studied with Junichiro Sekino. In the late 1970's he realized he could create a business importing and selling printmaking supplies from Japan. The earliest price list we can find is dated 1979. During the 1980's Robert McClain Japanese Prints & Supplies quickly became recognized as the leading supplier of superior quality art materials for Moku Hanga (Japanese-style woodblock prints) in the U.S.
Bob McClain Bob and Yoko McClain, 1956
Elaine Chandler
In 1991, after Bob McClain's death, Elaine Chandler purchased the supply business. Elaine renamed it McClain's Printmaking Supplies in honor of its founder. A well-known and respected printmaker herself, Elaine taught Moku Hanga workshops and promoted Japanese tools and materials to other instructors and schools around the country. Elaine also expanded McClain's to include materials for other forms of relief printmaking, including linoleum and wood engraving supplies.
In February 2001, Elaine sold McClain's to Alex Prentiss, her former Moku Hanga student. Alex's background is in library science, retail sales, and technical writing and illustrating. On the art side, she is an experienced letterpress printer, book artist and western-style woodcut printmaker. After falling in love with Moku Hanga more than 20 years ago, Alex now teaches Moku Hanga workshops in the Portland area.
McClain's staff includes Alix "Ally" Stinnett Rundell, who joined McClain's in May, 2011. Ally grew up in the NW corner of Washington State and graduated from Central Washington University where she majored in both Sociology and Studio Art Practices with an emphasis in Oil Painting. She first got excited about printmaking while taking a class at Oregon State University and enjoys making Moku Hanga prints. Ally wears multiple hats at McClain’s including managing the McClain's Newsletter and Instagram. When not at work, Ally enjoys spending time with her family and going on adventures around the PNW with her two young children and husband, sneaking a nap in whenever she can.
In October 2014 Daniel Jasa started working at McClain's. Daniel has an MFA in Printmaking from Northern Illinois University and an undergraduate degree from the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) in Oregon. In addition to running a tool sharpening business, he hosts a weekly open studio session at Atelier Meridian where he occasionally teaches workshops on printmaking and sharpening tools. His work is currently on display at the Portland Art Museum's Rental Sales Gallery. You can also view Daniel's work at danieljasa.com.
Christin Mottaz came to McClain’s in July, 2018. Christin was raised in the Pacific Northwest and studied Printmaking and Art Practices at Portland State University. Christin is full of creative energy and in addition to printmaking, enjoys making costumes, vegetarian cooking and baking fabulous cakes. She loves to get outside in nature and spends time running, hiking and backpacking.
Bella joined McClain’s in 2021. She holds a MFA in Craft from the Oregon College of Art and Craft and a BA/Concentration entitled Printmaking and Textiles: Visual Stories of Resistance from Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies & Western Washington University. Bella has a background in a range of printmaking processes. Although she now mainly creates outside of the medium of printmaking, over her duration at McClain’s she’s become enthusiastic about learning the process of Moku Hanga! Bella enjoys gardening, postcard “crate digging” and frequent trips to the public library and local parks.
Nabil joined McClain’s in 2023 and is orignally from Atlanta, GA. He has a BFA in Drawing, Painting & Printmaking from Georgia State University and works in bookbinding, printmaking, painting and graffiti writing. Nabil is an experienced bartender, a horror film buff and bi-lingual force of nature who brings a refreshing breath of fresh air to the shop. Nabil won’t be a voice on the phones when you call McClain’s but is a Shina slinging machine in the McClain’s woodshop. So next time you order one of our beautiful registration boards, bench hooks or Shina plywood blocks you can bet Nabil is the one who made them.
Under Alex's leadership, McClain's continues to offer the high-quality service, tools and printmaking materials that have made it the leading supplier for relief printmakers both here and abroad for over 40 years. Our purpose is to help relief printmakers find the materials and support they need to reach their printmaking goals.