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.
Art
October 4, 2021

Precarious Performance Art Turns Everyday Activities Into Awe-Inspiring Spectacles

Artist Thierry Mandon does everyday things in a very precarious way. In two separate performance pieces, he read a book in bed as well as at a dining table—all while suspended far above the ground. Simultaneously awe-inspiring and unsettling, his works Inside–Outside and Tableau vivant (respectively) add a level of spectacle and drama to the parts of our lives that are otherwise uneventful.

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Embroidery
September 23, 2021

Learn How to Cross-Stitch and Create Your Own Embroidered Pixel Designs

Think of embroidery as a big umbrella. Underneath that umbrella is myriad techniques and types of stitching that each has its own distinct look—all while involving a needle and thread. Cross-stitch is a facet of embroidery that is one of the most popular approaches around. In fact, you’ve probably seen it without even realizing it; a cross-stitch has a pixel-like appearance and resembles a little “x” on fabric.

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Embroidery
September 20, 2021

Embroidery Artist Immortalizes Ultrasound Photos by Perfectly Recreating Them With Thread

An ultrasound photo is one of the first keepsakes that someone has after finding out they're pregnant. Many people might choose to frame these photos, but for some craft-loving folks, they commemorate this special picture with embroidery. Embroidery artist Yulia Sherbak, aka Moss and Feather, creates small hoop art featuring ultrasound photos meticulously stitched on black fabric. The resulting custom pieces are a special keepsake to remember this extraordinary time.

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Street Art
September 3, 2021

Street Artist Uses Flowering Trees as “Natural Hair” To Complete Portraits of Women and Girls

Brazilian street artist Fábio Gomes Trindade combines painting and nature to create singular works that are only complete when viewed together. With the help of tree branches that sit above his vibrant murals, he produces portraits where only part of the head is present—such as the face and a portion of the hair. But when paired with colorful flowering trees and green leaves, the portrait has a full, beautiful coif.

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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.