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.
Inspiring
May 2, 2023

TikTok Star Finds $5,000 Designer Dress for $50, Offers To Give It Away to a Bride in Need

You never know what you’ll find in an antique store. For many, it’s the thrill of the hunt that entices them; perhaps, in a magical moment, you'll find something that’s worth much more than its price tag. This exact thing happened to TikTok star Ophelia Nichols. The 41-year-old influencer shared that she found a wedding dress for $50 when its original tag read $4,819.

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Portrait Photography
April 28, 2023

How a Photographer Captured Intimate Celebrity Portraits at 2023 BAFTA Awards [Interview]

There are few things more exciting in the entertainment industry than awards season. The spirit of the accolades—along with the anticipation of who will win—are reasons to look forward to them each new year. Photography offers us a valuable way to encapsulate their energy and emotion, and a skilled photographer snaps portraits that evoke these qualities while chronicling them for posterity.

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Acrylic Painting
April 26, 2023

Captivating Abstract Paintings Capture Nature’s Beautiful Fleeting Moments

Artist Megan Elizabeth is captivated by nature’s fleeting moments. Dappled light is a creative focus for her, and her paintings capture glittering illumination, reflections, and shadows created by petals and leaves. The resulting works are abstract in color and arrangement, but there is a familiarity to them. If you’ve ever walked through a forest or next to a pond, you’ve likely witnessed dappled light in action. Color is paramount in Megan’s paintings.

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Travel
April 24, 2023

Breathtaking ‘Chapel of Souls’ in Portugal Is Lined With 15,947 Illustrated Tiles

Architecture and travel are intertwined. People often journey to foreign lands for the opportunity to see great landmarks and the breathtaking Capela das Almas, aka Chapel of Souls, is definitely a must-see. Located in Porto, Portugal, this architectural attraction is covered in 15,947 blue and white ceramic tiles. These individual pieces form one massive beautiful design over the entire exterior of the neoclassical Saint Catherine Chapel.

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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.