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.
News
October 2, 2025

RIP Jane Goodall: Revered Primatologist and Conservationist Dead at 91

Dr. Jane Goodall, the pioneering naturalist whose observations of chimpanzees changed how we see nature, animals, and ourselves, has died. She was 91 years old. On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the Jane Goodall Institute announced her passing on its Instagram page. “Dr. Goodall’s discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science,” the institute wrote, “and was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world.

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Installation
September 29, 2025

Laser-Cut Cube Immerses Visitors in Light and Pattern at the Seattle Asian Art Museum

Artist Anila Quayyum Agha is making her debut in the Pacific Northwest. Her illuminated, large-scale installations are currently on display at the Seattle Asian Art Museum (SAAM), cloaking its galleries in intricate projections that immerse the viewer in patterned worlds. The exhibition, titled Anila Quayyum Agha: Geometry of Light, marks the first solo exhibition of a Pakistani-American artist in the Seattle Art Museum’s 90-year history. Light and shadow are equal participants in Agha’s sculptures.

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Hotels
September 25, 2025

Populus Denver: A Climate-Positive Hotel Combining Comfort With Stunning Contemporary Design

Stunning design and sustainable living aren’t mutually exclusive. The two can support and inform one another, creating something that is climate-neutral or even climate-positive. The luxury hotel Populus Denver strikes a balance between stellar architectural design and environmental consciousness. As an impressive addition to the Denver skyline, the exterior celebrates nature with white, round forms and eye-shaped window cutouts.

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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.