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.
Design
June 13, 2015

DIY Shape-Shifting Lamp Lets You Stack and Build the Lamp of Your Dreams

Craftsman Mike Warren was inspired by the beauty of the Babele lamp by Manifattura Italian Design, but unwilling to pay the high sale price. So, the determined designer decided to hand craft a version of the lamp, which is a playful, shape-shifting piece that can be arranged and stacked to your liking. Warren made the replica using free software and about $15 worth of supplies.

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Photography
June 8, 2015

Portraits Capture the Completely Mesmerized Faces of Children Watching TV

How do you relax after a long day? If you're like many people, then you might watch television to unwind. Brooklyn-based photographer Donna Stevens created a fascinating series that shows just how engrossing this activity is, specifically with children. The project is called Idiot Box, and it features dramatic portraits of youngsters staring blankly at a television positioned in the distance. Stevens' photos aren't trying to be hyperbolic.

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Design
June 3, 2015

Minimalist Staircase Elegantly Frames Built-In Bookshelf

Netherlands-based firm Marc Koehler Architects designed a staircase that doubles as a bookshelf for its homeowners. The elegant structure features a set of minimalist, white wooden stairs that frame a large, well-used shelving unit below. It's a creative way to store the residents' bevy of books whose arrangement mimics the shape of the steps. This staircase was a redesign for the Amsterdam-based house.

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Art
May 19, 2015

Artist Creates Strikingly Complex Fusions of Photos and Drawings

Paris-based artist Bertrand Flachot fuses photography and drawing in his collection of beautifully complex landscapes. Artworks featuring cities, mountains, and rolling hills begin as colorful photos that are then drawn over with the fluid marks of a pen. It's reminiscent of something you'd find in a sketchbook as Flachot includes lines and objects that weren't in the original photographs. With these handcrafted additions, the artist is creating similar-feeling, yet entirely different locales.

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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.