Jay McClellan Studio at
Main Line Art Center
Show Overview
Dates: September 13 – October 22, 2027
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 18th from 4 – 6 PM
Commissioned Paintings must remain in the exhibition until its conclusion and can be picked up at the Art Center upon its completion.
Please note that, although we love dogs here at MLAC, no animals besides service animals are permitted in the Art Center.
Examples of Jay’s work can be seen in the Main Line Art Center Welcome Gallery through December 2026. You can also pick up information about the exhibition and an FAQ page.
Frequently Asked Questions
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I work from photographs of your dog or cat, and conduct in-depth interviews with you and your family members. I am able to capture the warm and loving personality of your dog in a stunning, colorful painting in a way that no other artist can duplicate.
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Commission Process Steps:
Step 1 – Find the Right Images
Step 2 - Drawings & Choosing What Works for You
Step 3 - Making Your Decision
Step 4 - Painting Process
Step 5 - Painting Finished
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The first step is to take or find photographs that capture your pets personality and character well. Photos are very important in the process, we find that pictures taken at the pets eye level are often successful. Our expertise lies in reproducing and interpreting your photo and establishing the characteristics and personality of individual animals. The portraits we produce are unique paintings of not just any pet, but YOUR pet! So photos are key! The photographs below are good examples of the quality of photos needed.
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Once we have received your photographs and you have given us an idea of the kind of portrait you are looking to commission, we create several colorful ink sketches of what the final painting will look like. You can then let us know if you would like any changes made, and in general if everything is aesthetically pleasing to you. This step often helps clients to know exactly what their portrait will look like before ordering. Your final choice will be used as the reference when we hand paint your portrait. See exmaples below.
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Once you have decided on your favorite mock-up let us know
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Once Jay has started a portrait, he will send updates of the painting process to you through email. Clients often enjoy seeing the stages of the process and we love hearing from you!
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To ensure that every client is 100% fulfilled with their portrait, we email a copy of the final portrait for your approval. Any amendments or alterations that a client needs to make can be done at this stage. This process ensures that you are 100% pleased with your portrait before it leaves our studio.
About Main Line Art Center
The mission of Main Line Art Center is to inspire and engage people of all ages, abilities, and economic means in visual art through education, exhibitions, and experiences.
As a non-profit community arts center, Main Line Art Center serves as a destination for discovering, creating, experiencing and sharing visual art, while providing opportunities for personal growth and joy.
Everyone is welcome at Main Line Art Center! Our accessible art programs for artists with disabilities have been a cornerstone of our programming for over fifty years. Along with our accessible art programs, we also work with an ever-growing list of community partners to provide visual art education and programming to those who would otherwise experience barriers to participation. Main Line Art Center grants over $35,000 in need-based scholarships annually and offers a wide-variety of tuition-free classes for artists of all ages.
Throughout the year, we present innovative art exhibitions in our galleries, celebrating our students, teaching artists, community partners, and established and emerging artists. The art we exhibit, teach and share is intended to inspire and encourage conversation and connection.
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