Sisters Recreate Mona Lisa and The Scream Using Dog Kibble

Sisters Lauren and Samantha Treadwell have found the most unusual canvas for classical art: dog kibble.

The siblings from Old Bridge, New Jersey, spent two months painting individual pieces of dog food and arranging them into detailed recreations of some of the world's most famous paintings. From Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa to Edvard Munch's The Scream, each artwork required patience, precision, and keeping their dog Charlie away from the delicious materials.

"We're painters, so this was kind of like the learning curve of how mosaic artists use glass," Samantha Treadwell explains. The sisters had to learn entirely new techniques to work with kibble instead of traditional paint and canvas.

The exhibition, called "The Art of the Breed," is now on display at the American Kennel Club's Museum of the Dog in Midtown Manhattan through June 9. The sisters partnered with pet food brand Royal Canin to bring the quirky concept to life, using stucco and polyurethane to preserve the pieces.

What started as a whimsical idea became genuine artistry. Visitors expecting kitsch are surprised to discover that from a distance, the works look like traditional paintings. Up close, the shading and texture come from meticulously placed kibble pieces designed for different dog breeds.

Charlie, the sisters' dog, wasn't the easiest studio companion during the creative process. "He wanted the food. He would look at us and be like, 'can I have a little,' with those puppy eyes," Samantha recalls.

Why This Inspires

This exhibition celebrates the joy pets bring to our lives in an unexpected way. More than 40 percent of U.S. households have a dog, and this art honors that special bond with creativity and humor. The Museum of the Dog itself represents second chances, having reopened in Manhattan in 2019 after relocating outside St. Louis for decades due to financial troubles.

The sisters also created one original piece for the show: a portrait of a corgi rendered entirely in kibble.

Dogs are welcome to visit the museum on Fridays and during select events, meaning your furry friend can appreciate the artwork too.

"The Art of the Breed" proves that inspiration can come from anywhere, even a bag of dog food.