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.
DIY
January 12, 2023

How to Customize Your Clothes Using Colorful Fabric Paints

Embellishing clothing is one of the most creative ways to personalize your outfits. Painting on a shirt, pair of pants, or even a tote bag allows you to express yourself through imagery you won’t find anywhere else. And best of all, this is an easy DIY project that you can do with minimal supplies. All you need is a garment to decorate, some paintbrushes, and fabric paint.

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Installation
January 9, 2023

Artist Makes Massive Sand Drawings That Will Eventually Be Swallowed by the Tide

For land artists, the Earth becomes a giant canvas for their incredible imagery. The French creative known as JBen uses his location on the coast of Royan as a place to produce his massive beach art. His ephemeral designs are intricate—especially considering their scale—and feature a variety of subjects. Sometimes, he carves swirls in the sand while other times the drawings are character-driven and feature the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog.

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Installation
January 5, 2023

Monumental Ceramic Coral Reef Installation Is a Swirling Combination of Beauty and Awareness

We often associate ceramic art with fragility, and artist Courtney Mattison pairs the connection with imagery of colorful coral reefs. In a monumental swirling format, the ocean advocate crafts intricate sculptures of coral featuring representations of their forms and variety of species. At the same time, she also calls attention to the crisis these organisms are in.

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Installation
January 4, 2023

Artist Hides Giant Wooden Troll Sculptures in Western Australia for Everyone To Find

There is magic to be found in the wilderness. You just have to know where to look! Artist Thomas Dambo is doing his part to make the world a bit more enchanting by spreading his incredible troll sculptures throughout the world. His monumental gentle giants are constructed using recycled wood, branches, and other debris, and they are in forests and along shores just waiting for anyone to find them.

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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.