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.
Jewelry
April 3, 2023

Stunning Silver Jewelry Handcrafted by Indigenous Artisans in Mexico

Culture is represented in many ways, capturing the essence of a period, place, and presence. One way that cultures survive the passage of time is through physical items that hold symbolic meaning within them. Our visual culture is apparent in the things we wear, and jewelry is a time-honored part of this human tradition. The online shop Namik is sharing the Indigenous artisans whose work is the soul of Mexico.

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Style
March 29, 2023

Christian Dior Exhibition in Tokyo Comes Alive With Incredible Architectural Backdrops

Clothing by the fashion house Christian Dior speaks for itself. So when creating a space for an extensive retrospective, the setting must be as exquisite as the garments—without overpowering the designs on view. Architect Shohei Shigematsu, a partner at Dutch studio OMA, has done that with the interior design for the Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo.

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Architecture
March 28, 2023

Abandoned High School Bought for $100K Is Transformed Into Stunning Apartment Building

With the right vision, an abandoned building can have a second life. In 2019, Jesse Wig saw the opportunity to turn an empty high school in Homestead, Pennsylvania, into a completely new type of space. The sellers were asking $100,000 for the 50,000-square-foot building. The 34-year-old real estate agent bought it, unsure of what he’d do with it. Three years later, it’s now known as Bowtie High, a 31-unit luxury apartment building.

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Macro Photography
March 27, 2023

Macro Photography Captures the Delicate Dance of Mantises in Malaysia

Macro photographer Pang Way captures the delicate dance-like movements of a variety of mantis species. From an up-close point of view, he depicts the insects as they balance on their long legs with wings splayed in a fan-like fashion. We’re able to admire all of their incredible characteristics, from the brilliant coloring to the delicate webbing over their wings. It offers a new appreciation for these elegant creatures that live throughout the world.

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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.