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
October 27, 2017

6-Year-Old Amazes World with Airplane Knowledge, Gets to Be Pilot for a Day

Kids say the darndest things, and sometimes they’re astonishing examples of expert knowledge. Earlier this year, then 5-year-old Adam Mohammad Amer showed off his amazing airplane trivia to an audience of impressed pilots and cabin crew aboard an Etihad Airways flight from Morocco to Abu Dhabi. He knew more than just the controls; he understood what they did and how to use them, something he learned from watching YouTube videos.

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Tattoos
October 23, 2017

Illustrated Poster Reveals the Meanings Behind Traditional Sailor Tattoos

Have you ever wondered about the meanings of traditional sailor tattoos? You can now decode what the diving swallows, crossed anchors, and nautical stars signify with a helpful illustration by “Adventure Cartoonist” Lucy Bellwood. She’s created The Art of the Sailor, a diagram that depicts a tattooed sea traveler whose body art is both named and defined. From the sailor's hands to his feet, the symbols tell the stories of journeys made along the open water.

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Portrait Photography
October 19, 2017

Photographer Quietly Captures Museum Goers Who Accidentally Match the Artwork

When Stefan Draschan goes to a museum, he’s looking at more than just the art. The photographer is also people watching for museum visitors whose outfits happen to coordinate with the paintings on the wall. In his ongoing project called People Matching Artworks, he captures the unexpected moments when someone’s hair, jacket, or dress could be an extension of a timeless creation. People Matching Artworks is the epitome of patience.

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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.