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.
Travel
December 26, 2025

Book of Kells Experience Blends History and Technology To Celebrate the Illuminated Manuscript

Copying a book in the Middle Ages and the Early Renaissance was a laborious process. This was before the advent of movable type, so any text would need to be copied word for word onto blank pages. Some manuscripts were just that—words and nothing else—but others went well beyond text and featured intricately adorned pages of illustrations and illuminations (decorations). These treasured books were aptly called illuminated manuscripts.

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Photography
December 23, 2025

Ghostly Floral Photos Filled With Cultural and Nostalgic Relics of Millennials’ Past

Still-life painting has a long and rich history. It’s a genre that has persisted across movements, cultures, and periods. The term “still life” is derived from the Dutch word stilleven in the 16th century, although still-life art dates back to ancient times. But just like the art world, the idea of still life continues to evolve and now transcends mediums to include photography. The enduring genre inspires Seattle-based photographer Aaron Leitz.

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Travel
December 18, 2025

This “Cool” Bar Is Like Drinking Inside a Giant Block of Arctic Ice

There are a lot of inventive and innovative bar concepts out there, but none are as cool as ICEBAR. As the name suggests, this watering hole integrates ice into every aspect of its being. The crystal clear cubes that would typically be floating in your drink are now the vessels from which you sip. Beyond your beverage, the walls are ice, and artwork made of ice adorns the space.

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Academy
December 16, 2025

Deepen Your Understanding of Art With These Pairs of Online Creative Courses

There’s one prevailing truth about art: you never stop learning. No matter your expertise, there’s always more to discover. My Modern Met Academy, our e-learning platform, was designed to help you unleash your creativity and foster new skills. And to further this mission, we’ve got some courses that have a natural “part two” to them. Taught by the same instructor, these pairs of classes will deepen your understanding of a subject matter or approach.

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