Posts by Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
Design
June 19, 2017

15+ Japanese Designs That Have Subtly Outdone the Rest of the World

Japanese design is lauded for the beauty it finds in simplicity. Often, we describe it with words like minimalist, elegant, and subtle, with objects that fool our eyes; something could weigh a ton but still be seen as airy and light. This isn’t a coincidence; Japanese aesthetics are rooted in ancient ideals that act as guidelines for how they look and feel. Some of the principles guiding Japanese design are wabi-sabi, miyabi, shibui, iki, and yūgen.

Read Article

Food Art
June 16, 2017

IKEA Creates “Fill in the Blank” Recipe Posters to Make Cooking Easy

IKEA is known for its stylish-yet-inexpensive furniture that comes with (seemingly) simple directions that anyone can follow. While some would argue this point, the Swedish brand has translated this pictorial idea into food. With help from Toronto-based advertising firm Leo Burnett, they’ve created a series of illustrated recipes printed on parchment paper. They call it Cook This Page, and it features single page “fill in the blank” instructions for tasty dishes that you bake.

Read Article

Photography
June 13, 2017

11 Very Different Types of Photography That Each Illuminate Our World

For many of us, snapping a photograph has become second nature. With great cameras now built in to smart phones, making an image has become less about about artistry and more about utility. We take pictures of things we want to remember—this could be anything from a wedding or vacation to what we ate for breakfast. This doesn’t mean, however, that creative photography is going the way of the dinosaur—on the contrary.

Read Article

Travel
June 12, 2017

16 Summer Camps for Adults Offering Carefree Fun with a Grown-Up Twist

Just because you’re a grown up doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy summer like a kid. Nowadays, you can make an escape to an adult summer camp and enjoy the familiar smell of the campfire and joyful splashes in the lake. But if outdoor activities aren’t your style, there are also cultural getaways where you learn how to cook or live out your Broadway dreams.

Read Article

My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.