Posts by Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
Embroidery
April 15, 2025

Charming Embroideries of Japanese Hiragana Illustrate the Many Words Formed by Each Character

Illustrator and embroidery artist Tomoko Kubo is stitching their way through the Japanese hiragana lettering system. There are 46 characters within the lettering system, and Kubo has designed each piece as a colorful peek into the character. Every bubble design features foods, animals, landscapes, and activities that begin with the chosen character.

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Landscape Photography
April 8, 2025

Stunning Self-Portraits Connect Humans to Icy Icelandic Landscapes [Interview]

For three years, Anna Isabella photographed herself among Iceland's ice caves and glaciers. The ambitious self-portrait project features her in places many of us dream of visiting—chiseled ice peaks against an equally frigid backdrop. Devoid of other people and the trappings of human existence, she stands alone, looking on toward a landscape with an otherworldly appeal. Anna Isabella is the focal point of each image; but, at times, it’s hard to spot her.

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Architecture
March 28, 2025

Sustainable Floating City Inspired by an Amazonian Water Lily

We can learn a lot from nature. Architect Vincent Callebaut looks to our environment as a guide for designing his forward-thinking structures. His conceptual creation Lilypad is a prime example. Lilypad is a floating island that draws inspiration from the gigantic Victoria amazonic, a species of water lily known for having the largest leaves of any water plant. Their lamina (leaves) can grow up to nearly 10 feet in diameter.

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My Modern Met

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