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.
Installation
June 19, 2025

Symphony of Sounds Are Unleashed as Porcelain Bowls Float and Clang in Giant Basin Installation

Artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot explores sound and movement in an expansive installation now on view at Bourse de Commerce — Pinault Collection in Paris. Titled clinamen, the multisensory experience features an 18-meter (59-foot) diameter pool in the museum’s Rotunda filled with water that reflects the sky through its dome. The bright blue basin is a veritable ocean as a fleet of porcelain bowls is set in motion by a gentle current.

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Photography
June 17, 2025

RIP Kimiko Nishimoto: Funny Self-Portrait Photographer Who Began Taking Photos When She Was 72

Photographer Kimiko Nishimoto, known for her absurdist self-portraits, passed away on June 9, 2025, at the age of 97. Nishimoto was living proof that you’re never too old to exercise your creativity. She took a photography class when she was 72 years old and fell in love with the medium. She continued to take photographs and delighted the world with her humorous take on self-portraiture.

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Sculpture
June 9, 2025

Artist Sees Faces in Driftwood and Reveals Them as Stunning Spirits of Nature

Artist Debra Bernier of Shaping Spirit can see faces in the most unlikely of places. Within pieces of driftwood, sun-bleached bones, and shells, she envisions figures and brings them to life using found natural materials. The carved sculptures often depict women, eyes closed and at peace, as they rest within the smoothed grooves of the finished and polished wood. Bernier finds her raw materials on the shores of Vancouver Island, Canada.

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Art History
May 30, 2025

Here Are the Top 5 Most Valuable Paintings as of 2025

Art is more than a way to convey ideas and the beauty of the world. For many, it’s a financial investment. The right work of art can appreciate over time and, when sold, yield millions (upon millions) of dollars in profit. A painting’s sold price at auction can also clue us into trends and other market factors that are elevating the price of artwork.

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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.