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.
Crafts
April 25, 2025

What Is Batik? Learn How Wax Resist Can Give Way To Beautiful Surface Design

There are many ways to create surface designs on fabric, many of which have a long place in our collective history. Batik is one such approach. It’s the art of decorating cloth using wax and dye. Batik is a resist technique, meaning that the wax acts as an impediment to the dye. Wherever the wax is placed, the dye will not go. Once the wax is removed, the fabric's original color remains.

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Art
April 23, 2025

Pioneering Pop Surrealist Gallery in Seattle Celebrates Reopening With Three Exhibitions in New Space

The Roq La Rue gallery is an institution in the Seattle, Washington, art scene. Founded by Kirsten Anderson in 1998, the gallery has been instrumental in the Emerald City and beyond. It has helped shape global art movements, including Pop Surrealism and New Contemporary, and, early on, it showcased the work of artists like Todd Schoor and Mark Ryden.

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Installation
April 10, 2025

Hypnotic Drippy Artwork Cloaks Las Vegas Sphere in Mesmerizing Moving Hues

Las Vegas’ Sphere is an incredible sight to behold. Its ever-changing Exosphere is a showstopper—not an easy feat in a city known for its over-the-top visuals. In 2023, artists began to showcase their work on the 580,000-square-foot display as part of the XO/Art showcase, with Refik Anadol being the first to utilize the expansive setting. Now, Jen Stark has made her mark by covering Sphere in Cosmic Cascade.

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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.