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
August 17, 2016

Olympic Pictograms Reveal All the Sports That Have Been Added and Removed Over the Last 52 Years

The Olympic Games are known for being the world’s greatest sports contest, and so it’s vital that its various competitions are understood across cultures. Since we can’t all read or speak the same language, pictograms—a stylized representation of a message or activity—help people from all walks of life comprehend the Games in the same way.

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Art
August 8, 2016

Mesmerizing Kinetic Sculpture at the 2016 Olympic Opening Ceremony Glitters Like the Sun

The Opening Ceremonies for the 2016 Olympics were nothing short of spectacular with dazzling light projections and performances that lit up Maracanã Stadium, delighting viewers across the world. As the ceremony concluded, attention turned towards the Olympic cauldron and a massive kinetic sculpture created by artist Anthony Howe. Measuring 40 feet in diameter, his two-ton piece symbolizes the sun with graceful, mesmerizing movements that represent the journey of life.

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Environment
July 28, 2016

Biologist Single-Handedly Repopulates a Rare Species of Butterfly in His Backyard

The California pipevine swallowtail butterfly was once suffering a fate that so many creatures face—the loss of its habitat in San Francisco was causing their population to decline. But thanks to one man’s DIY efforts, the iridescent blue-winged insect is flourishing again. California Academy of Sciences aquatic biologist Tim Wong single-handedly revived the flailing species by building a home for them in his backyard.

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Photography
July 15, 2016

Can You Find the Cell Phone Hiding in Plain Sight?

Internet optical illusions are the modern day Magic Eye puzzles that stump millions of users who struggle to find what’s hiding in plain sight. We were previously fooled by one that was wedged in a brick wall, and Facebook user Rayana Lira recently shared a photo that’s equally—if not more—difficult. The image implores you to spot the cell phone hidden within the repeat-patterned rug.

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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.