A little about my creative process

Every story has a beginning…Some begin with a winding road down the Oregon Coast ….

Others with a bustling market halfway around the world. Sometimes it’s a favorite family recipe… and sometimes it’s simply a dog who wanders into my imagination and refuses to leave.

Long before an illustration appears on a recipe card or a destination scene finds its place on the blog, it begins as a memory, a photograph, a sketch, or a quiet moment that stayed with me long after the journey ended.

The artwork you see throughout Dog in the Kitchen is created using a variety of artistic tools, each chosen to help tell that story in the best possible way.

About the Original Story Illustrations

My original illustrations of the dogs, characters, and product artwork begin with my own concepts, artistic vision, and a vivid imagination that’s always searching just beyond the next bend in the road. Depending on the destination, story, or emotion I hope to capture, I combine hand drawing, painting, photography, digital illustration, and other creative techniques to build each scene one thoughtful layer at a time.

For me, creating art is much like traveling. It begins with curiosity, follows unexpected paths, and often ends somewhere even more beautiful than I first imagined. I believe the most memorable art doesn’t simply recreate a moment—it preserves a true sense of place, inviting us to remember not only what we saw, but how it felt to be there.

Every piece is lovingly refined until it reflects the personality, emotion, and story I hope you’ll experience when you see it.

About the Destination Scenes

The scenic food and travel images throughout the blog are digitally illustrated destination scenes inspired by places I’ve visited, favorite foods I’ve enjoyed, the dogs who journey beside us, and a little imagination.

Rather than recreating a destination exactly as it appeared, they’re designed to capture the feeling of standing there—the light, the atmosphere, the local flavors, and the true sense of place that make every journey unforgettable