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.
Science
May 13, 2016

Dazzling Bismuth Crystals Look Like Hypnotizing Rainbow Stairs

Bismuth has a long and rich place in history, but its colorful, crystallized form continues to dazzle us today. The element’s existence dates back to ancient times—it was one of the first 10 metals to be discovered—with the name bismuth appearing in texts around 1660. Often confused with tin or lead, its pure state dons a similarly silver hue. Bismuth crystals are derived from the element but are only created under the right conditions.

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Photography
May 10, 2016

U.S. Marine Recreates Real Combat Experience with Star Wars Toys

United States Marine Matthew Callahan uses his experience as a soldier to inform his stunning images of Star Wars clone trooper toys in battle. The iconic Star Wars characters are in the midst of chaos—rocks and debris surround them as they wield powerful guns, crouch behind large rocks, and drag their buddies from danger. Through it all, there’s an incredible feeling of authenticity, and Callahan’s sense of scale makes these scenes seem eerily real.

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Art
May 3, 2016

More Illustrations Cleverly Reveal the Two Kinds of People There Are in the World

There are two types of people in this world: those who eat the pizza crust and those that leave it on the plate; or, someone who prefers a Kindle while another loves getting lost in the pages of a book. The world is full of these opposing groups of people, and depending on who you ask, they're either doing things the “right” way or the “wrong” way.

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Food Art
April 26, 2016

Unique Strain of Corn Has Naturally Rainbow-Colored Kernals That Look Like Glass Jewels

Nature often surprises us with the amazing things it produces, and Glass Gem corn is a fantastic instance of when the line between what's real and fake is blurred. The rainbow-colored kernels resemble brilliantly-hued strands of jewels rather than something you'd find on your plate. They're all natural, however, and are the result of heirloom-style farming as well as selective planting. The story behind these special corn cobs started with an Oklahoma-based farmer named Carl Barnes.

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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.