Posts by Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
October 15, 2015

Charming Illustrations Reimagine Disney Animal Characters as Humans

What would animal characters from animated Disney films look like if they were human? Art student Alaina Bastian has imagined some of these scenarios in her charming series of illustrations called Humanized. Taking into consideration the visual style of each animated film, she replaces the creatures with their similarly-drawn Homo sapiens counterpart. Bastian went to great lengths to ensure that her updated personalities retain the attitudes of their predecessors.

Read Article



October 4, 2015

Luxurious Eco-Friendly Mansion Exists Entirely Below Ground

For those wanting to lessen their negative impact on the environment, the best place to build is down. Known as “underground homes” or “low-impact houses,” these structures minimize the amount of green space used by containing entire buildings below the Earth's surface. Two English firms–NC Homes and Huntsmere–have proposed an underground dwelling that's as luxurious as a conventional, above-the-soil structure. Called Perdu, it's a circular three-bedroom home located on the grounds of Bowdon in Manchester.

Read Article


September 24, 2015

Transparent Dome Shelters Campers While Offering Uninterrupted Views of Natural Surroundings

Star gazing can be a beautiful experience, but a clear view of the night sky often means a lack of privacy or protection against inclement weather. The Oasis (or Oaze) dome intends to change that with its transparent structure that offers uninterrupted 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape. If you want privacy, however, simply close the thick fabric curtains that are installed around its interior.

Read Article