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.
Birds
November 4, 2020

This Hi-Tech Bird Feeder Lets Clever Magpies Exchange Bottle Caps for Food

You might not realize it, but birds are very intelligent creatures. Crows, for instance, can recognize human faces. Magpies, a relative of crows, are also known for their smarts as well as their affinity for picking up objects and finagling with things like locks. Artificial intelligence researcher Hans Forsberg noticed these clever creatures around his neighborhood and was able to train them to trade in pieces of litter for food.

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Books
October 23, 2020

Photographers Celebrate Black Beauty Through Awe-Inspiring Portraits of Children in New Book

Regis and Kahran Bethencourt are the dynamic husband and wife duo behind CreativeSoul Photography; and together, they've dedicated their artistic practice to celebrating unconventional beauty. Through stunning images in their AfroArt and Princess Series, they showcase natural Black hairstyles as their subjects dress in costumes including Baroque-era aesthetics and Disney-inspired royalty. Each uplifting portrait tells a story—one of the Bethencourts' greatest strengths—and is exemplified in their new book titled Glory: Magical Visions of Black Beauty.

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Books
October 16, 2020

Self-Taught Baker Reveals How To Create Her Artistic Pie Designs in New Cookbook

Self-taught baker Lauren Ko combines artistry and pie to craft desserts that are a treat for the eyes and the taste buds. For years, she’s been wowing us with her artistic pies that incorporate complex crust weaving and geometric arrangements of various fruits and vegetables. Ko has gained widespread acclaim for her food art; and now, she’s letting us in on her baking secrets with her new book titled Pieometry.

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Environment
October 7, 2020

‘Old Me vs. New Me’ Meme Offers Valuable Tips for Eco-Friendly Living

It's imperative that we rethink our culture in order to help mitigate the devastating effects of climate change. But, where to start? The changes that need to be made can seem overwhelming; but with some simple adjustments, you can help do your part for the environment. The online purveyor ReduceWasteNow recently participated in the “Old Me vs. New Me” meme, outlining various ways to live a more eco-friendly life.

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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.