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.
Nature
January 13, 2021

Gigantic Amethyst Geodes Excavated in Uruguay Stand 22 Feet Tall

The dazzling beauty of amethyst geodes is undeniable. The enchanting crystals sparkle at any size, but when the geodes are larger than life, they suddenly seem like something out of a fairytale. Mineral purveyor Nowar Minerals, Inc., shares photos of massive amethyst geodes that are almost too incredible to be true. (But they are.)

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Sculpture
December 22, 2020

Sculptor Explores What Lurks Beneath the Water in Spine-Chilling Ocean Dioramas

Are you afraid of what lies in the depths of the ocean? If so, you aren’t alone; thalassophobia is the fear of deep bodies of water, and many people have it. Considering some of the alien-like fish that can be found there, it's a perfectly understandable phobia. Japanese artist Thalasso Hobbyer captures the essence of this fear—particularly, what can be so terrifying—in his ongoing series of sculptures that depict creatures in the ocean.

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Pencil Drawing
December 13, 2020

Hyperrealistic Pencil Portraits Offer a Surreal Look Into Being Black in Today’s World

Artist Arinze Stanley achieves his incredible hyperrealistic artwork by exercising what he refers to as the “three P’s.” The principles that Stanley works by are patience, practice, and persistence. His dedication—and his continual strive towards perfection—has helped the self-taught artist to develop portraits of Black people that appear in often surrealistic ways.

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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.