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.
Environment
June 8, 2017

Photographer Turns Six Years of Documenting Storms into One Mesmerizing Time-Lapse Film

Some creative endeavors are weeks or months in the making. But for photographer Chad Cowan, his incredible time lapse project took over half a decade to complete. In collaboration with editor Kevin X Barth, the short film Fractal features hundreds of thunderstorms that are condensed into one mesmerizing piece. The result is storm photography that highlights the inherent duality of nature—its ability to destroy as well as rebuild.

Read Article

DIY
June 7, 2017

Man Reveals How to Build Your Own Futuristic “Magic Mirror” in Helpful DIY

You’re probably familiar with the famous phrase, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall…” Uttered by the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the line prompts a face to appear within the reflective surface and speak to her. The iconic scene, with its striking visual, has continually intrigued us; before modern technology, however, it was just a fantasy.

Read Article

Photography
June 3, 2017

Surreal Mashups Perfectly Combine Two Opposing Photos into One Perfect Scene

Fusing a forklift with a hearty helping of spaghetti and meatball might seem like an odd pairing—and it is. But in Stephen McMennamy’s world, the two make perfect sense. For years, the creative director has made these types of playful mashups that combine two photos into one surreal scene. Appropriately called #ComboPhotos, McMennamy will search high and low for pictures that, despite their differences, are aligned into a seamless form.

Read Article

Art
June 1, 2017

Impossibly Tiny Doodles Fill Sketchbook Pages with Surreal Optical Illusions

Artist Visothkakvei creates detailed drawings that go way beyond your average doodles. Armed with a pen and an endless imagination, he fills sketchbook pages with sprawling compositions that are full of tiny, fine-lined elements. Throughout each of his works, motifs of delicate blooms, fancy flourishes, and crystallized forms fit together like puzzle pieces as they ebb and flow effortlessly around the page. Some of Visothkakvei’s most striking works are his optical illusion drawings.

Read Article

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.