Malcolm "Mac" McClain, born in San Marino, was a contemporary of ceramic artists John Mason and Paul Soldner. Following his service in WWII, he joined up with artist Peter Voulkos' group of acclaimed students at the L.A. County Art Institute. In 1966 McClain's pottery was featured in the landmark "Abstract Expressionist Ceramics" exhibition at the University of California, Irvine.
During the WWII, Mac McClain served in the U.S. Army Infantry as a first gunner in a machine-gun platoon, where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Following the War, he painted and drew in Paris New York. In 1953 he left New York for Mexico City to study ceramics.
Returning to Pomona College in 1955, he worked for Rick Petterson while taking ceramics classes at Scripps College with Peter Voulkos. At the Los Angeles County Art Institute, Mac worked alongside Paul Soldner, John Mason and Voulkos.
Mac moved to Tijuana while working for Warren Patterson and San Diego Ceramics, a clay supply and ceramic hobby shop in Mission Valley. Shortly thereafter The Art Center in La Jolla hired him as a ceramics teacher. Following which he taught sculpture and drawing at Pomona College (1964), and then ceramics at Cal State Los Angeles (1965-1988).
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