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.
Painting
July 15, 2019

Lovely Flower Murals Transform Ordinary Rooms into Spaces with Blooming Personalities

Artist and illustrator Lilit Sarkisian adds blooming personality to otherwise ordinary rooms with her floral mural art. Working completely freehand on walls, she sketches larger-than-life blossoms, vegetables, and succulents that effortlessly flow across their designated spaces. Although they're rendered in soft hues, they become a statement-making part of any room. For the artist, location is key—it dictates how the mural will ultimately look. “I create all the sketches specifically for a specific location,” Sarkisian explains.

Read Article

Animals
July 11, 2019

Adorable Dalmatian Has Lovely Heart-Shaped Spots Around His Eyes

Charlie the Dalmatian is the living canine version of the heart eyes emoji. Ever since the pup was small, he has rocked two distinctive heart-shaped spots over both of his eyes. With this adorable characteristic—as well as his playful personality and faithful companionship—you can't help but fall in love with him! It wasn’t always clear that Charlie would have such special markings.

Read Article

Travel
July 3, 2019

7 Things to Do in Portland for Art and Culture Lovers

Portland is a city that has gained a reputation for its idiosyncrasies. It has the unofficial tagline of “Keep Portland Weird,” and the television show Portlandia exemplified this in a series of comedic sketches riffing on the Pacific Northwest locale. (Including one about adult hide and seek.) Although the show put Portland on the proverbial map, the city had arrived long before it premiered.

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.