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.
Creative Products
July 1, 2026

Fourth of July Sale at My Modern Met Store: Save 15% on All of Our Creative Products

The Fourth of July is a day typically spent grilling and hanging poolside. Whether you’re having a cookout or are staying indoors to avoid the heat, you can take advantage of My Modern Met Store’s Fourth of July sale. From July 1 to July 5, we’re offering 15% off your entire order when you use the code FIREWORKS26 at checkout. Don't delay; the discount ends at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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Museums
June 24, 2026

Obama Presidential Center Opens With a Tower Inspired by His Presidency and Chicago’s Architecture

The Obama Presidential Center opened to the public on June 19, 2026, and with it comes a a campus that is redefining the presidential library. Located in Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side, the center is designed to be experienced, not just visited. It surrounds the neighborhood, with pathways and gathering spaces meant to draw people in naturally.

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Academy
June 16, 2026

4 Tips for How Build a Creative Practice When You’re Not a “Creative Person”

Anyone can be creative, even if you don’t identify as a “creative person.” We all have creativity inside of us, but for some, it feels harder to access. But just like becoming a “gym person,” you can become a creative person—all it takes is some strategy and effort. Even the most imaginative people sometimes feel blocked, or like they’re drawing a blank (pun intended).

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Paper Art
June 11, 2026

Artist Spends 6 Years Crafting 300,000 Paper Quills for Massive Portrait of Planet Earth

Artist Alinn Akhmetbek uses paper to explore facets of our world. The material is manipulated to express concepts of humanity and ecology, such as reconciling our treatment of the planet with our connection to it. These ideas are the basis for her recently completed work titled 72 Voices of Earth. The paper art is a view of our planet from space, done on a massive scale.

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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.