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.
Creative Products
May 2, 2017

Modern Blackout Curtains Turn Windows into Penthouse Views of a City at Night

When it comes to window blinds, our options for something that’s truly unique can seem limited. But as Ukrainian designers HoleRoll demonstrate, modern blinds for windows can transcend their practicality and double as spectacular shadow art for your home. They’ve created panels that, when closed, create the illusion of glittering cityscapes at night. To produce this spectacular triptych, HoleRoll has treated the panels as if they were pieces of paper.

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Art
April 26, 2017

Self-Taught Artist Crafts Spectacular Coffee Mugs That Double as Sculptural Art

Self-taught artist Katie Marks crafts ceramic coffee mugs that transcend their practical use and double as sculptural works of art. Saying that “the world inspires her,” she adorns the vessels with layers of spectacular crystals and swirling galaxy glaze. Though her popular shop Silver Lining Ceramics, she dazzles her fans with her imagination and use of color—so it's no surprise that her work often sells out shortly after it’s listed.

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Drawing
April 22, 2017

Artistic Teen Illustrates Her Hallucinations to Cope with Schizophrenia

Art can be a lifeline for people struggling with mental health issues. After being misdiagnosed for years, Kate Fenner was officially diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 17. Now, at age 18, she has a path to move forward, which includes learning to cope with the disorder's symptoms.”I have always been an ‘artist’, I just didn’t realize what that meant until my mental illness appeared,” she writes.

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Food Art
April 21, 2017

20+ Edible Flower Cakes to Enjoy the Beautiful Sight and Taste of Real Blooms

The inherent beauty of flowers makes them an ideal choice for decorations on a cake. And just like the blossoms themselves, the approaches to adornment vary. Some bakers construct sweet buttercream florals that are extensions of icing, while other folks prefer the real thing.  But the problem? Not all flowers are edible. So, after snapping a photo of the gorgeous embellishment, you’ve got to remove all of that carefully-crafted arrangement.

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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.