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.
Animals
October 7, 2021

Legendary “Animal Whisperer” Snaps Selfies With the Most Adorable Wild Animals

Snapping a selfie is an art, and few do it better than Allan Dixon. Known as the “animal whisperer,” the Gold Coast, Australia-based content creator stole our hearts many years ago when his grinning photo next to an equally jubilant quokka went viral. Since that time, Dixon has continued to snap photos next to the smiling small wallabies along with monkeys, kangaroos, and plenty of pups.

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Art
October 4, 2021

Precarious Performance Art Turns Everyday Activities Into Awe-Inspiring Spectacles

Artist Thierry Mandon does everyday things in a very precarious way. In two separate performance pieces, he read a book in bed as well as at a dining table—all while suspended far above the ground. Simultaneously awe-inspiring and unsettling, his works Inside–Outside and Tableau vivant (respectively) add a level of spectacle and drama to the parts of our lives that are otherwise uneventful.

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Embroidery
September 23, 2021

Learn How to Cross-Stitch and Create Your Own Embroidered Pixel Designs

Think of embroidery as a big umbrella. Underneath that umbrella is myriad techniques and types of stitching that each has its own distinct look—all while involving a needle and thread. Cross-stitch is a facet of embroidery that is one of the most popular approaches around. In fact, you’ve probably seen it without even realizing it; a cross-stitch has a pixel-like appearance and resembles a little “x” on fabric.

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Embroidery
September 20, 2021

Embroidery Artist Immortalizes Ultrasound Photos by Perfectly Recreating Them With Thread

An ultrasound photo is one of the first keepsakes that someone has after finding out they're pregnant. Many people might choose to frame these photos, but for some craft-loving folks, they commemorate this special picture with embroidery. Embroidery artist Yulia Sherbak, aka Moss and Feather, creates small hoop art featuring ultrasound photos meticulously stitched on black fabric. The resulting custom pieces are a special keepsake to remember this extraordinary time.

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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.