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.
Design
February 27, 2017

Elegant Plant Lamps Illuminate a Room in a Leafy Green Glow

Botany might seem like an unlikely inspiration for lighting, but for industrial designer Mariana Folberg, it makes sense. “The aesthetics of plants, their shape, and structure are designed to be perfectly functional,” she tells us in an email, “with each part perfectly in-sync and assisting the other. Nothing is designed as meticulously as nature.” This was the inspiration for her series of plant lamps, which combine contemporary lighting with the beauty of green flora.

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Photography
February 22, 2017

Traveler’s Photos Capture the Beautiful Diversity of Remote Cultures Around the World

Eight years ago, photographer Alexander Khimushin set off on an adventure around the globe—and he's been a permanent nomad ever since. This lifestyle has allowed him to see incredible sights while also teaching him a valuable lesson: people are the most amazing part of his travels. “Especially in those remote places, where culture and traditions are still alive,” he explains. “There are hundreds of unique ethnic minorities in the world.

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Art
February 19, 2017

Ghostly Porcelain Bowls Designed with Dramatic Splatters Frozen in Time

Artist Aylin Bilgiç has captured a moment in time through her delicate ceramic bowls. The porcelain vessels—part of an aptly-titled series Fluid Porcelain—have dramatic splashes that whip from their edges. It’s as if the bowl was full of liquid, had something thrown into it, and then a picture was snapped at just the right second. Bilgiç has crafted illusion so well that we still expect the splatting substance to fall to the ground.

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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.