{"id":472355,"date":"2026-04-03T15:03:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T20:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/?p=472355"},"modified":"2026-04-03T15:03:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T20:03:12","slug":"misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/","title":{"rendered":"Misato Sano&#8217;s Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1340\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a wood-carved sculpture of a dog by Misato Sano\" style=\"object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9-640x429.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9-960x643.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9-768x515.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9-1536x1029.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;OKEY DOKEY&#8221; (2025). All photos by Maki Indo, courtesy of the artist, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Misato Sano&#8217;s Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality<\/h1>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-03T15:03:09-05:00\">April 3, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><a class=\"category-craft\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/craft\/\" rel=\"tag\">Craft<\/a><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/jandres\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Jackie Andres<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\"><li style=\"color: #1c1e0d; \" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F04%2Fmisato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures%2F&#038;title=Misato%20Sano%27s%20Charming%20Wooden%20Dogs%20Are%20Carved%20With%20Personality\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\">\n\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \">\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n\n\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d; \" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"mailto:?subject=Misato%20Sano%27s%20Charming%20Wooden%20Dogs%20Are%20Carved%20With%20Personality&#038;body=Misato%20Sano%27s%20Charming%20Wooden%20Dogs%20Are%20Carved%20With%20Personality%20&mdash;%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F04%2Fmisato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures%2F\" aria-label=\"Email\"  class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\">\n\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M20,4H4C2.895,4,2,4.895,2,6v12c0,1.105,0.895,2,2,2h16c1.105,0,2-0.895,2-2V6C22,4.895,21.105,4,20,4z M20,8.236l-8,4.882 L4,8.236V6h16V8.236z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \">\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"472355\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\" style=\"\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\" style=\"\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sanomisato.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Misato Sano<\/a>\u2019s studio is replete with piles of wooden offcuts, heavy lumber, woodworking equipment, and flowing natural light. The Miyagi-based artist has been sculpting charismatic dogs for several years, steadily adding more distinct characters to her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/misato-sano\/\">growing pack<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Self-portraiture remains a consistent theme within Sano&#8217;s practice. Each dog evokes a different emotion mirroring the artist&#8217;s personality, ranging from shy and skittish to excited and silly. &#8220;Visualizing my inner self through expressions and gestures full of charm and humor has also become an opportunity to deepen my self-love,&#8221; she shares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2728\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-5.jpg\" alt=\"a wood-carved sculpture of a dog by Misato Sano\" class=\"wp-image-472359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-5.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-5-640x873.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-5-960x1309.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-5-768x1048.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-5-1126x1536.jpg 1126w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-5-1501x2048.jpg 1501w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;I Got a Good Idea!&#8221; (2025)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Sano&#8217;s distinctive woodcarving techniques are exemplary of the artist&#8217;s signature style. Dimpled surfaces, for instance, evoke different types of dog coats and allow for color variance to come through upon the finishing application of oil paint. Working with camphor wood, the sculptural exaggeration of physical features such as limbs, bulbous tufts of fur, and even nails add to the body of work&#8217;s playful appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These rhythmic textures and amusing design choices have also lent themselves to explorations of embroidery and illustration. Meditative stitches and repetitive, gridded ink drawings are a continuation of the artist&#8217;s dialogue with herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sano is gearing up for an exciting year. Later this month, her work will be on view in a duo exhibition at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DWoEeVEExdn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kan Hai Art Museum<\/a> in Taiwan. In August, the artist&#8217;s work is traveling to the states for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nucleusportland.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nucleus Portland<\/a>\u2019s 10th anniversary show, before a third exhibition at <a href=\"https:\/\/igoone.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Igoone Arai<\/a> in her native Miyagi, Japan. Keep up with the artist&#8217;s tail-wagging adventures by following her on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/misato_sano\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-10.jpg\" alt=\"a pink wood-carved sculpture of a dog by Misato Sano\" class=\"wp-image-472363\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-10.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-10-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-10-960x720.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-10-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-10-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Raspberry&#8221; (2025)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-7.jpg\" alt=\"a wood-carved dog sculpture by Misato Sano stands on the ground. more wood-carved dogs stand on pedestals behind it\" class=\"wp-image-472360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-7.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-7-640x853.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-7-960x1280.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-7-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-7-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-7-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;I&#8217;ve Got a Feeling&#8221; (2024)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-1.jpg\" alt=\"detail of a wood-carved sculpture of a dog with bamboo growing out of its head by Misato Sano\" class=\"wp-image-472358\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-1.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-1-640x853.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-1-960x1280.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-1-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Bamboo Shoot Crazy&#8221; (2025)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-8.jpg\" alt=\"face details of a wood-carved dog sculpture dog by Misato Sano\" class=\"wp-image-472361\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-8.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-8-640x853.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-8-960x1280.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-8-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-8-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-8-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Let&#8217;s go, BOSCH!&#8221; (2025)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1993\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-13.jpg\" alt=\"a wood-carved sculpture of a dog by Misato Sano\" class=\"wp-image-472365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-13.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-13-640x638.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-13-960x957.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-13-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-13-768x765.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-13-1536x1531.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Sweet Dreams&#8221; (2022)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2173\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-11.jpg\" alt=\"a wood-carved pekingese sculpture by Misato Sano\" class=\"wp-image-472364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-11.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-11-640x695.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-11-960x1043.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-11-768x834.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-11-1414x1536.jpg 1414w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-11-1885x2048.jpg 1885w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Rice Cake Pekingese&#8221; (2025)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-16.jpg\" alt=\"face details of a wood-carved pug sculpture by Misato Sano\" class=\"wp-image-472366\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-16.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-16-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-16-960x720.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-16-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-16-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Wrinkly Pug&#8221; (2025)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-2.jpg\" alt=\"a wood-carved yorkie sculpture by Misato Sano\" class=\"wp-image-472367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-2.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-2-640x853.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-2-960x1280.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-2-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-2-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-2-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Captain Yorkie&#8221; (2025)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-3.jpg\" alt=\"a grid-like drawing of 24 pug faces by Misato Sano, each depicting a different emotion\" class=\"wp-image-472368\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-3.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-3-640x744.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-3-960x1116.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-3-768x893.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-3-1321x1536.jpg 1321w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-3-1761x2048.jpg 1761w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">From the artist&#8217;s &#8220;Drawing Series&#8221; (2025)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1269\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-14.jpg\" alt=\"profile detail of a wood-carved whippet sculpture by Misato Sano\" class=\"wp-image-472369\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-14.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-14-640x406.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-14-960x609.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-14-768x487.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-14-1536x975.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;The Forgetful Whippet&#8221; (2025)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2058\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-15.jpg\" alt=\"an embroidery by Misato Sano depicting a dog combing its hair, wearing colorful bows. the piece sits inside an embroidery hoop\" class=\"wp-image-472370\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-15.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-15-640x659.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-15-960x988.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-15-768x790.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-15-1493x1536.jpg 1493w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-15-1990x2048.jpg 1990w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Wear a Ribbon and Look Fashionable&#8221; (2024)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Visualizing my inner self through expressions and gestures full of charm and humor has also become an opportunity to deepen my self-love,&#8221; she shares.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3157,"featured_media":472362,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[493,1312],"tags":[87,561,3217,58,36,1466],"class_list":["post-472355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art","category-craft","tag-dogs","tag-humor","tag-misato-sano","tag-sculpture","tag-wood","tag-woodworking"],"acf":{"acf_sponsor_post":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.9 (Yoast SEO v26.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Misato Sano&#039;s Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality &#8212; Colossal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Miyagi-based artist Misato Sano has sculpted charismatic dogs for several years, steadily adding more distinct characters to her growing pack.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Misato Sano&#039;s Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Miyagi-based artist Misato Sano has sculpted charismatic dogs for several years, steadily adding more distinct characters to her growing pack.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Colossal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thisiscolossal\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-03T20:03:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-03T20:03:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1340\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jackie Andres\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jackie Andres\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jackie Andres\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/dbeed310512b473440f37afde70e427b\"},\"headline\":\"Misato Sano&#8217;s Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-03T20:03:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-03T20:03:12+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/\"},\"wordCount\":317,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"dogs\",\"humor\",\"Misato Sano\",\"sculpture\",\"wood\",\"woodworking\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Art\",\"Craft\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/\",\"name\":\"Misato Sano's Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality &#8212; Colossal\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-03T20:03:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-03T20:03:12+00:00\",\"description\":\"Miyagi-based artist Misato Sano has sculpted charismatic dogs for several years, steadily adding more distinct characters to her growing pack.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9.jpg\",\"width\":2000,\"height\":1340,\"caption\":\"\\\"OKEY DOKEY\\\" (2025). All photos by Maki Indo, courtesy of the artist, shared with permission\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Misato Sano&#8217;s Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/\",\"name\":\"Colossal\",\"description\":\"The best of art, craft, and visual culture since 2010.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Colossal\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/icon-crow-sandal.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/icon-crow-sandal.png\",\"width\":988,\"height\":988,\"caption\":\"Colossal\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thisiscolossal\/\",\"https:\/\/mastodon.art\/@colossal\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thisiscolossal\/\",\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/thisiscolossal.com\"],\"description\":\"Colossal is an online art magazine that celebrates contemporary art and visual culture across a wide range of creative disciplines.\",\"email\":\"hello@colossal.art\",\"legalName\":\"Colossal Projects Inc.\",\"foundingDate\":\"2013-03-01\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/dbeed310512b473440f37afde70e427b\",\"name\":\"Jackie Andres\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/293f566cfb3af8c2940ddff68830f3b7e4fdc6d8799d5b83f69ff1b1251a788c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/293f566cfb3af8c2940ddff68830f3b7e4fdc6d8799d5b83f69ff1b1251a788c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jackie Andres\"},\"description\":\"Jackie Andres is an artist and writer. She drinks coffee, reads, and writes in Chicago. You can follow her on Instagram.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/jandres\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Misato Sano's Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality &#8212; Colossal","description":"Miyagi-based artist Misato Sano has sculpted charismatic dogs for several years, steadily adding more distinct characters to her growing pack.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Misato Sano's Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality","og_description":"Miyagi-based artist Misato Sano has sculpted charismatic dogs for several years, steadily adding more distinct characters to her growing pack.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/","og_site_name":"Colossal","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thisiscolossal\/","article_published_time":"2026-04-03T20:03:09+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-03T20:03:12+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2000,"height":1340,"url":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Jackie Andres","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jackie Andres","Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/"},"author":{"name":"Jackie Andres","@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/dbeed310512b473440f37afde70e427b"},"headline":"Misato Sano&#8217;s Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality","datePublished":"2026-04-03T20:03:09+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-03T20:03:12+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/"},"wordCount":317,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9.jpg","keywords":["dogs","humor","Misato Sano","sculpture","wood","woodworking"],"articleSection":["Art","Craft"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/","url":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/","name":"Misato Sano's Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality &#8212; Colossal","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9.jpg","datePublished":"2026-04-03T20:03:09+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-03T20:03:12+00:00","description":"Miyagi-based artist Misato Sano has sculpted charismatic dogs for several years, steadily adding more distinct characters to her growing pack.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/sano-9.jpg","width":2000,"height":1340,"caption":"\"OKEY DOKEY\" (2025). All photos by Maki Indo, courtesy of the artist, shared with permission"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/04\/misato-sano-wooden-dog-sculptures\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Misato Sano&#8217;s Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/","name":"Colossal","description":"The best of art, craft, and visual culture since 2010.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#organization","name":"Colossal","url":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/icon-crow-sandal.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/icon-crow-sandal.png","width":988,"height":988,"caption":"Colossal"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thisiscolossal\/","https:\/\/mastodon.art\/@colossal","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thisiscolossal\/","https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/thisiscolossal.com"],"description":"Colossal is an online art magazine that celebrates contemporary art and visual culture across a wide range of creative disciplines.","email":"hello@colossal.art","legalName":"Colossal Projects Inc.","foundingDate":"2013-03-01"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/dbeed310512b473440f37afde70e427b","name":"Jackie Andres","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/293f566cfb3af8c2940ddff68830f3b7e4fdc6d8799d5b83f69ff1b1251a788c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/293f566cfb3af8c2940ddff68830f3b7e4fdc6d8799d5b83f69ff1b1251a788c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Jackie Andres"},"description":"Jackie Andres is an artist and writer. She drinks coffee, reads, and writes in Chicago. You can follow her on Instagram.","url":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/jandres\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3157"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=472355"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472355\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":472388,"href":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472355\/revisions\/472388"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/472362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=472355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=472355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=472355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}