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.
Painting
May 2, 2025

10 Tips for Beginner Painters To Make the Most of This Amazing Art Form

Ready to paint? Beginning this type of visual art can feel daunting, but it doesn't have to be. With some small steps, patience, and basic tools, you can begin putting pigment to paper (or canvas) and express your creativity via paintbrush. We’ve compiled a list of beginner tips for painting that will help you get started. No matter your media, these tips apply to all types of paint.

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Interview
April 29, 2025

New Street Art Festival in a Small French Village Gets a Community Excited With Massive Murals [Interview]

Planning a large-scale event is not for the faint of heart. There is an incredible payoff when the whole thing goes according to plan, although getting to that point requires a lot of logistics and work behind the scenes. But when it’s beyond a success, it affects more than the people involved in the planning; it can light up an entire community.

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Oil Painting
April 24, 2025

Monumental Oil Paintings Explore Personal Transformation Through Swirling Ethereality

London-based Australian artist Ella Baudinet unifies the mind, body, and spirit through her ethereal oil paintings. The pieces combine sensibilities from multiple art movements, including abstraction, Surrealism, and realism, and are expressed through colorful, swirling compositions. Monumental in their beauty and scale, the thought-provoking works are included in Baudinet’s solo exhibition at S GALLERY in Madrid, Spain. The collection of paintings is titled Expansion, and they emerged during a period of personal transformation for Baudinet.

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Store
April 11, 2025

Decorate Your Skin for Spring With These Artsy Temporary Tattoos

Now that our winter jackets are stashed away, it’s time to shine with sleeveless tops and spring accessories. Looking for that artsy addition to your wardrobe that will go with anything in your closet? Tattly temporary tattoos are it. The creative designs cloak your skin in statement-making illustrations, perfect for whether you're an art appreciator, wildlife lover, or just enjoy stopping to smell the flowers.

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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.