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.
Hotels
August 29, 2025

Populus Seattle: Luxury Hotel Where Art, Sustainability, Design, and Fine Dining Meet

Seattle is a city known for its breathtaking vistas alongside cutting-edge industry. But before it was a tech hub, this Pacific Northwest (PNW) jewel had a thriving timber industry in the mid-19th century. Warehouses and other buildings were constructed in the downtown corridor to support it, but their original purpose has long since passed. These buildings have been rehabbed into workspaces, housing, and, in the case of Populus Seattle, a luxury hotel.

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Acrylic Painting
August 27, 2025

Anthropomorphic Bears and Bunnies Stand in for Humans in Paintings Commenting on Modern Life

Life is nothing without contrasts. Things can be sad, but they can also be funny. Someone can be sincere yet weave sarcasm into their response. Los Angeles-based artist Luke Chueh explores this type of duality—and contradictions—in his solo exhibition titled Making Light of the Darkness, now on view at Harman Projects in New York City.

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Museums
August 22, 2025

San Diego Museum of Art Plans for Upcoming Expansion Amid a World-Class Collection

One of the best things about visiting a new city, or rediscovering your own, is the local art museum. These important institutions allow us to experience art in an intimate setting—beyond our computer screens—and appreciate a variety of creativity and perspectives. If you’re in Southern California, the San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) is a must-visit for this type of cultural experience.

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Wildlife Photography
August 5, 2025

Perfectly Timed Photo Captures Unlucky Vole Looking Directly at the Camera as It’s Swept Away as Dinner

Wildlife photography requires great technical skill, and it also involves a bit of luck. Being in the right place at the right time can land you a once-in-a-million shot that, in one fell swoop, epitomizes the wild world. Photographer Sha Lu recently captured an image like that. In his photo, an unlucky vole is powerless in the talons of a white-tailed kite as it soars away with the rodent in mid-air.

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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.