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.
May 9, 2023

Woman With Early-Onset Dementia Embroiders What Her Brain Looks Like to Her

When we’re healthy, we don’t have to think about what is failing in our bodies. After all, part of being healthy is not having to constantly consider what is ailing us; everything is working as it should. But when someone is diagnosed with a terminal disease, they have no choice but to consider the part of their body that is in trouble—it can affect every aspect of their life.

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May 4, 2023

How to Combine Drawing and Writing Into Deeply Personal Art Journals

You might have heard that keeping a journal is a great way to record your thoughts and understand your emotions. Typical journaling involves only writing—but for those who are more visually inclined, an art journal is a great alternative. And because there are so many ways to express yourself in an art journal, it's a wonderful creative outlet for both beginners and more experienced creatives. What is an art journal?

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