Biography
Nicholas Cladis is an American interdisciplinary artist, papermaker, and educator based in Iowa City, Iowa, who serves as the papermaking specialist at the University of Iowa Center for the Book, where he lectures and manages the Oakdale paper research facility. He also serves as the Japanese/English Bilingual Secretary of the International Mokuhanga Association (IMA).
Cladis's interest in Japanese and Korean paper began with his study of mokuhanga (Japanese woodblock printmaking), which gave him a glimpse into the world of Japanese tools, processes, and aesthetic theory. Together, these subjects have charted a rich technical and material exploration in his work. A former Japan Foundation Fellow and resident of Japan, he maintains an active relationship with the Echizen papermaking community in Fukui Prefecture.
In 2026, Cladis received a Fulbright Scholar Award to Japan, with his project centering on Echizen and studying how hand papermaking in Japan is evolving from a traditional craft into a dynamic contemporary art medium. He presented at the 2024 International Mokuhanga Conference in Echizen, Japan, and has been featured by the Japanese Paper Company for his expertise in traditional Japanese papers.
Key Facts
- Nationality
- 🇺🇸United States
- Movement
- Contemporary Mokuhanga
- Works Indexed
- 1
Frequently Asked Questions
Nicholas Cladis is an American interdisciplinary artist, papermaker, and educator based in Iowa City, Iowa, who serves as the papermaking specialist at the University of Iowa Center for the Book, where he lectures and manages the Oakdale paper research facility. He also serves as the Japanese/English Bilingual Secretary of the International Mokuhanga Association (IMA).
Nicholas Cladis's work was shaped by the Contemporary Mokuhanga tradition in Japanese woodblock printmaking. Contemporary Mokuhanga: Contemporary mokuhanga (literally "wood-block print") encompasses artists working from approximately 1970 to the present who continue or reinvent traditional Japanese woodblock printing techniques.
Nicholas Cladis is a contemporary printmaker working in the mokuhanga (Japanese woodblock) tradition. Recognition through awards and exhibitions supports growing collector interest. Prices for contemporary mokuhanga prints range from $150 for smaller works to $2,000 for major compositions. Most prints sell in the $240–$800 range. The global mokuhanga community has been growing, with increasing exhibition opportunities and collector interest. Contemporary mokuhanga represents an affordable entry point for collectors.