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.
Crafts
May 27, 2021

Learn How to Ice Dye to Add Some “Cool” to Your Craft Projects

When crafting, it's always a good goal to make your work as original as possible. That way, you're not just creating but expressing yourself, too. For fibers, it doesn’t get much more customized than when you dye your own fabric. Tie-dye is one of the most popular methods of coloring fabric, but there’s another approach that is beloved among dedicated DIYers: ice dyeing.

Read Article

Inspiring
May 11, 2021

Teen Shares Her Harvard Admissions Essay That Will Resonate With Anyone Who Lost a Parent

When Abigail Mack sat down to write her college admissions essay, she began with a bold assertion: she hates the letter “S.” The essay, which she shared in a series of videos on TikTok, caught the attention of millions of people and earned her admission into Harvard University’s class of 2025 (which has an admission rate of just 3.43%).

Read Article

Installation
May 8, 2021

Artist Transforms Foliage Into Adorable Topiary Sculpture of a Sleeping Baby Bird

If you happen to find yourself in Nantes, France, be sure to head to Jardin des Plantes, a large botanical garden. There, you'll find this adorable topiary sculpture titled Poussin endormi (Sleepy Chick) by French artist and children's book author Claude Ponti. It features a larger-than-life baby bird whose relaxed pose looks like it's in the middle of a nap. The delightful work showcases Ponti's great skill in crafting a topiary.

Read Article

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.