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.
Architecture
October 28, 2025

10 of the Most Iconic Buildings by Architect Frank Gehry You Should Know

It’s rare for an architect to become a household name, but the ones who earn this distinction have their designs lauded for decades to come. Frank Gehry is one of these visionaries who has planned and built awe-inspiring structures since the early 1960s. Known for his bold architectural features and unusual shapes, Gehry’s designs transcend the ordinary building and are truly monumental works of art.

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Painting
October 21, 2025

Artist Creates Enigmatic Maps and Diagrams That Are Meant To Be Defined by You

There is beauty in repetition. Seeing the same motif produced again and again is like a symphony of form. And while it’s satisfying to see carbon copies, it’s perhaps more compelling when created by the human hand. As hard as we may try, a pattern drawn by hand will never be completely perfect—and that’s part of its charm. Artist Shane Drinkwater creates works on paper that are replete with repeats.

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Travel
October 15, 2025

How Populus Seattle Curated a Dynamic Art Collection Where Everything Is for Sale [Interview]

Art in hotels can often be an afterthought, a way to simply cover the walls rather than an avenue to engaging with guests. But not with Populus Seattle. The luxury hotel is set inside a restored warehouse in RailSpur, a micro-district within the city’s Pioneer Square neighborhood. It boasts beautiful rooms, tasty food and drinks, and an art program unlike any other.

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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.