Love the large, colorful dog portraits that line the walls of the White Dog Cafés in Haverford and University City? Now you can bring that art to your dining table. On Feb. 19, Anthropologie will release its newest line, Bone Appetit, a set of tableware featuring the work of East Falls’ Jay McClellan, the artist behind those iconic White Dog paintings.
Bone Appetit’s 11 items—platters, dessert plates, mugs and a dishtowel—will be available on Anthropologie’s website and at Anthropologie and Nordstrom stores throughout the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
The collection features McClellan’s artistic signature, showcasing a variety of dogs and colorful graphics. The dogs featured in the collection belong to employees of Anthropologie and its parent company URBN, headquartered in Philadelphia. “I thought it’d be extra special to have the dogs be connected to URBN,” McClellan says. “But I deferred to Anthropologie executives’ judgment about what image should go on what. They know what sells.”
Related: Meet the Artist Behind White Dog Café’s Iconic Canine Paintings
In fact, the towel sold out when a preview run was released before Christmas. “I felt such immense pride when I got that news,” McClellan says.
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Photo by Kylie McFall Photography. |
McClellan, a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, already has his work in A-list homes. He’s painted large-scale portraits of dogs belonging to former Phillies second baseman Chase Utley and his wife Jen, FOX News’ Martha MacCallum, and Dr. Larry Kaiser, president and CEO of Temple University Health System, and his wife Lindy Snider, founder of Lindi Skin.
But the Anthropologie collection takes things to the next level, introducing McClellan’s work to an international audience. “It’s really exciting and nerve-racking,” he admits. “I’m very happy with what Anthropolgie and I accomplished, but I’m wondering how the products will be received.”
Bone Appetit is the latest in Anthropologie’s collaborations with independent artists. Its Studio Sessions pieces include works from Los Angeles, Calif. weaver Janelle Pietrzak, New York fashion designer Whitney Pozgay, textile designer Paule Marrot Paris and British artist Alicia Galer.
