Posts by Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
Good News
January 19, 2026

Friends Carry Their Buddy on Their Backs To Help Him See the World

Some dreams can only be achieved with the help of those who love us. No person is an island, and we’re made better thanks to those who can fill the gaps where we might fall short. Kevan Chandler and his friends epitomize this idea. It began with Chandler’s lifelong dream of traveling to Europe. While it can be as simple as hopping on a plane, that wasn’t the case for Chandler.

Read Article

Academy
January 13, 2026

3 Online Portrait Drawing Classes Teaching Distinctly Different Ways To Draw the Face

The great thing about making art is that there are seemingly infinite ways to do things. For every drawing technique an artist uses, another creative could have a totally different approach—even when they are capturing the same subject matter. While this can be overwhelming to someone just starting their art-making journey, it also means that there are no wrong answers. Proving this is a trio of classes on My Modern Met Academy, our e-learning platform.

Read Article

Academy
January 6, 2026

Learn How To Hand Letter Your New Year’s Resolutions in This Online Class

With the new year in full swing, you’ve likely made your resolutions for 2026. Maybe you scribbled them in a notebook or jotted them down in your Notes app. But there’s another way to honor your goals for this year: write them down in an aesthetically pleasing way and display them in your workspace, bedroom, or anywhere you want a reminder for the next 360-ish days.

Read Article

Crafts
January 2, 2026

Intricate and Alluring “Thread Paintings” Use a Sewing Machine Like a Paint Brush

Painting is often thought of as being done with pigment, like acrylics and oils. But that’s not the case for Chris Roberts-Antieau. As a pioneer of machine embroidery and its possibilities, she refers to her primary body of work as “thread paintings,” using thread and fabric appliqué to create her complex compositions. They range in subject matter, from unbelievable true stories to her personal reflections on nature, reality, truth, and perception.

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.