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.
Design
March 15, 2016

Geometric Sleeve Tattoos Visually Crystalize Across the Body

Brandon Crone combines multiple tattoo styles to produce cohesive, stunning pieces of body art. Fusing dotwork, blackwork, and geometry, he adorns clients' arms and chests with designs that flow from intricate angular structures to large areas of solid black. In addition, the non-inked areas of skin create secondary patterns found within the negative space of the tattoos.

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Art
March 11, 2016

Elegant Wooden Chair Hand-Carved from a Single Tree Stump

With the right artistic vision, an ordinary tree stump can become something magnificent. In 2014, Alex Johnson demonstrated this with his chair called Glemham I, which he carved out of a large oak stump. It took the craftsman six months to complete his wooden creation by hand using everyday tools like a chisel and gouge.

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Art
March 9, 2016

Artist Recreates Famous Photos Out of Colorful Children's Play Doh

Eleanor Macnair recreates art history using a material that's meant for children. Inspired by the images of renowned photographers like Cindy Sherman, Alfred Stieglitz, and Diane Arbus, the London-based artist reimagines their timeless works as 3D sculptures crafted with colorful Play-Doh. When Macnair translates the source images into clay, it changes more than just their appearance–it completely alters the mood of the photographs.

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Art
March 6, 2016

Interview: Dorothy O’Connor Reimagines Her Life as Surreal Installations in a Single Room

Dorothy O'Connor translates events from her life into a surreal ongoing series called Scenes. For years, the artist has transformed spaces–often a room–into fantastical places that tell a story. Visually rich and exciting, they feature elements of the natural world that are handcrafted by O'Connor. In one room, a den of snakes line a ceiling, while in another, over 200 paper birds circle the space.

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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.