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.
Inspiring
May 2, 2023

TikTok Star Finds $5,000 Designer Dress for $50, Offers To Give It Away to a Bride in Need

You never know what you’ll find in an antique store. For many, it’s the thrill of the hunt that entices them; perhaps, in a magical moment, you'll find something that’s worth much more than its price tag. This exact thing happened to TikTok star Ophelia Nichols. The 41-year-old influencer shared that she found a wedding dress for $50 when its original tag read $4,819.

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Portrait Photography
April 28, 2023

How a Photographer Captured Intimate Celebrity Portraits at 2023 BAFTA Awards [Interview]

There are few things more exciting in the entertainment industry than awards season. The spirit of the accolades—along with the anticipation of who will win—are reasons to look forward to them each new year. Photography offers us a valuable way to encapsulate their energy and emotion, and a skilled photographer snaps portraits that evoke these qualities while chronicling them for posterity.

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Acrylic Painting
April 26, 2023

Captivating Abstract Paintings Capture Nature’s Beautiful Fleeting Moments

Artist Megan Elizabeth is captivated by nature’s fleeting moments. Dappled light is a creative focus for her, and her paintings capture glittering illumination, reflections, and shadows created by petals and leaves. The resulting works are abstract in color and arrangement, but there is a familiarity to them. If you’ve ever walked through a forest or next to a pond, you’ve likely witnessed dappled light in action. Color is paramount in Megan’s paintings.

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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.