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.
May 22, 2014

Modern Tuscan Amphitheater Features Responsive Canopy

The Italian hill town of Peccioli is the site for the soon-to-be-built Parco Degli Angeli (Park of Angels), a complex that's meant to enjoy music and art. It features a covered, multi-seat amphitheater that can accommodate up to 800 people with interactive sculptures that overlook the idyllic Tuscan countryside. New York-based firm Asymptote Architecture was commissioned to design the space, and they envisioned the project as a sculptural canopy structure that contrasts the surrounding landscape.

Read Article


May 13, 2014

Clever Series Illustrates Words that are Lost in Translation

Yiddish You've probably experienced something that's been “lost in translation,” meaning that there's no adequate equivalent for a foreign term. Don't feel bad – sometimes it's hard to capture the essence of a word in another language. This is the concept of New Zealand-based designer Anjana Iyer's series entitled Found in Translation. Through these images, she explains the idea behind words in German, Russian, and more that don't directly translate into English.

Read Article


April 30, 2014

Cat and Owl Combine to Form the Adorably Bizarre "Meowl"

If you're a fan of owls and cats, then it's time to rejoice. A Meowl is the best of both worlds in a bizarre-yet-adorable combination of bird and feline. Like the wonderfully-punned name suggests, it's a cat's head that's superimposed on an owl's body. The mythical creatures appear surprisingly natural as the coloring and patterning on their fur and feathers seems to effortlessly complement one another. Who knew that they could pair so well together?

Read Article


April 23, 2014

Kinetic Sculpture Replicates a Bird Flapping Its Wings Using Popsicle Sticks

Design student Joyce Lin replicated a bird flapping its wings using simple machines and materials. The kinetic sculpture is entitled Study in Bird Motion and is made with popsicle sticks and mylar that resembles feathers. It's activated by a hand crank, which sets the entire thing in motion and mesmerizes you as its movements resemble a bird gracefully taking flight.

Read Article