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.
Drawing
September 24, 2023

Inktober: The Worldwide Art Challenge That Has Everyone Drawing in October

When it comes to creating art, getting started is often the hardest part. It’s made a little easier, however, when you’ve got thousands of people doing it at the same time. We’ve seen how daily and monthly photography projects can stretch your imagination and bring forth new and exciting developments in your work. But if drawing is more your style, we’ve got the perfect creative challenge to inspire daily art-making: Inktober.

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Design
August 19, 2023

How the Memphis Movement Went Against “Good Taste” To Inspire Designers Today

Trends are cyclical, and it seems that even the most outrageous ones find a way of coming back in vogue. Memphis design, a style synonymous with the 1980s, is one example of how a movement that, in the early aughts, would’ve seemed ridiculous is now back in style among influencers and tastemakers. Once called “a shotgun wedding between Bauhaus and Fisher-Price,” Memphis design is now taken seriously by the design community.

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Art History
August 6, 2023

Who Was N.C. Wyeth? Learn About the 20th Century Illustrator Responsible for Over 100 Books

In an era that’s known as the Golden Age of illustration, illustrator Newell Convers Wyeth (aka N.C. Wyeth) was one of its superstars. The American painter contributed illustrations to over 100 books and painted over 4,000 images. His realistically rendered pictures visualized classic tales like Treasure Island, The Last of the Mohicans, and Robinson Crusoe. Wyeth also created illustrations for advertising campaigns such as Coca-Cola and Kellogg’s Foods.

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Art History
July 22, 2023

Learn About the Magic of Mary Blair, an Illustrator Who Helped Define Early Disney Films

If you’ve watched a Walt Disney animated classic or read a vintage Golden Book, then you’ve likely interacted with the art of Mary Blair. The illustrator and animator left her mark on the visual culture of the mid-20th century in ways that are still celebrated today. As a concept artist for Disney, she created stylized designs that informed the look of films such as Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan.

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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.