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.
Store
May 8, 2026

10 Creative Gifts That Make Great Conversation Starters

Let’s face it: gift-giving can be challenging. It’s easy to gift something that feels too cookie-cutter, too expected. If you want gifts that start a conversation, check out the curated selection of creative products at My Modern Met Store. There, you’ll find statement-making items that will earn a second glance from anyone who sees them. One of our favorite gifts—and new to My Modern Met Store—is The Scream Action Figure by Today is Art Day.

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Style
May 5, 2026

Met Gala 2026: How Attendees Interpreted the “Fashion Is Art” Theme on the Red Carpet

The first Monday in May is known as “fashion’s biggest night out,” aka the Met Gala. This annual fete raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute and marks the start of its exhibition. Opening May 10, 2026, is the Costume Art show, which uses the dressed body to examine garments from The Costume Institute. From the show concept came the theme of the 2026 Met Gala: “Fashion is Art.

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Technology
May 4, 2026

DATALAND Preview: The World’s First Museum of AI Arts Co-Founded by Refik Anadol

Pioneering creative Refik Anadol has long engaged with emerging technologies. As one of the most prominent artists working with data and generative AI, his immersive art sits at the intersection of tech and humanity. Years of this work are culminating in the soon-to-open DATALAND, the world’s first museum of AI arts, with its inaugural exhibition set to open to the public on June 20, 2026.

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Art
April 30, 2026

Expansive Exhibition Highlights U.S. History Through ‘A Nation of Artists’

The United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2026, and the festivities are taking many forms. One way turns an eye toward history, seeing how far the country has come since its founding. The exhibition A Nation of Artists is doing so by looking at visual culture, specifically how artistic production has been shaped through exchange, expansion, conflict, and innovation. Nothing, after all, is created in a vacuum.

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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.