| 1973 | August 6: Nathanial Allen McClain was born to David and Lynn McClain in Granite City, Illinois near St. Louis, Missouri; he was their first and only child. |
| 1974-1978 | Receives art lessons at home from his mother Lynn McClain. Creates his own custom birthday cards and greeting cards by age 4. |
| 1979-1982 | Attends Nameoki Elementary School in Granite City until the school closes in 1982. |
| 1982-1985 | Attends Maryville Elementary School in Granite City. |
| 1985-1987 | Attends Coolidge Middle School in Granite City. Spring 1987: graduates from Coolidge Middle School. |
| 1987-1991 | Fall 1987: Attends Granite City High School in Granite City. Attends Nortre Dame summer art camp. Wins 2nd place in Discover Financial Services Card Art Contest. Wins 2nd place in Pasta House Great Works of Art Contest. Summer 1990: Attends Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation Seminar at Colorado College. Fall 1990: Wins 1st place in Central Bank Art Contest. May 1991: Graduates from Granite City High School. |
| 1991-1995 | Fall 1991: Attends Southwest Missouri State University (SMSU) in Springfield, Missouri. Becomes a member of the Delta Chi Fraternity. November 29, 1993: Lynn McClain, his mother, dies after a short 4 month battle with cancer. McClain's artwork becomes darker and his themes harsher. 1995: Graduates from SMSU with a Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) degree and an emphasis in Illustration. |
| 1996 | Summer: Instructor at a summer camp in the Northeast August: Moves to downtown St. Louis, Missouri in the Art Loft district. September 28: Paints 9'x 7' Ozzie Smith mural for Ozzie Smith's Retirement Event auction at America's Center in St. Louis. Works as a free-lance commercial artist and waiter in St. Louis. |
| 1997 | McClain paints massive 16' x 8' Ultimate Sports mural for the new Ultimate Sports store in Granite City. April 25: Group show with Art Loft artists that includes McClain's paintings. May: Travels to New York City. August: Takes road trip from St. Louis to Los Angeles, California and back. September 7: McClain tragically dies in Louisianna, Missouri at the age of 24. |
| 2003 | August 6: The Nathan McClain Gallery opens online on what would have been McClain's 30th birthday. |
| 2004 | April: McClain featured in Delta Chi Alumni newsletter as a rediscovered "lost" alumni. September: Grassroots fundraising effort to prevent demolition of McClain's Ultimate Sports mural from 1997. October 6: McClain featured in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for the grassroots effort to save his Ultimate Sports mural. October 19: Ultimate Sports mural saved and relocated to Coolidge Middle School in Granite City, Illinois. |
| 2005 |
March: McClain featured on St. Louis FOX TV news affiliate to help locate McClain's Ozzie Smith mural from 1996. April: Gallery presentation of McClain's legacy of "Impacting and Inspiring Communities" at the Museums & the Web International Conference in Vancouver, Canada. June 4: "FEEL the Emotion" event - 1st posthumous McClain art exhibit and Ultimate Sports mural dedication at Coolidge Middle School in Granite City, Illinois. July: Published 1st art book featuring McClain's artwork from the "FEEL the Emotion" event. November: Published 1st 12 month calendar featuring McClain's artwork that was hand picked by the Gallery community. December: McClain painting featured on the cover of the international Hablemos Magazine |
| 2007 |
September 7: 10th Anniversary of McClain's passing. |
