Posts by Margherita Cole

Margherita Cole

Margherita Cole is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and illustrator based in Southern California. She holds a BA in Art History with a minor in Studio Art from Wofford College, and an MA in Illustration: Authorial Practice from Falmouth University in the UK. She wrote and illustrated an instructional art book about how to draw cartoons titled 'Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square' that was published by Walter Foster in 2022.
Food Art
December 30, 2022

Gradient Arrangements of Food Highlights Biodiversity Not Often Seen in Supermarkets

At your local supermarket or grocery store, you can expect to find typical produce like tomatoes and peppers that all look about the same. So why are “ugly” fruits and vegetables excluded? German artist Uli Westphal became interested in this question after visiting local street markets in Berlin, finding an abundance of irregular produce for the first time.

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Oil Painting
December 26, 2022

Abstract Lily Pad Paintings Symbolize the Beauty and Perseverance of Chinese Culture

Artist MaiYap explores her identity as an Asian woman in the series Reflection on Awakening. Her experience living as a minority in Panama, and then later, in Florida, formed a fear of being different. Then, when racism and hate crimes against Asian Americans began to increase—particularly during the pandemic—she turned to painting to rediscover her identity. This resulted in a collection of abstract oil paintings featuring the steadfast lily pad.

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Illustration
December 23, 2022

Exquisitely Illustrated Fungi Captured on the Pages of 19th-Century Vintage Book

Years before we had cameras, people relied on artists and their work to capture the world around them. This resulted in a tradition of exquisite botanical illustrations, in which painters and draftspeople painstakingly rendered every detail that they saw into two-dimensional form. The book Fungi Collected in Shropshire and Other Neighbourhoods is an example of this art form.

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Resources
December 22, 2022

Librarian Archives All of the Things People Leave Behind in Books

If you've ever checked out a library book, you may have come across something that belonged to the previous owner—whether it be a scribble or a bookmark. For nearly 10 years, library director Sharon McKellar has been archiving all of the numerous diverse items left behind in books at the Oakland Public Library, creating a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the people in her community.

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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.