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.
Drawing
May 31, 2023

Illustrator Shares Her Top Drawing Tips (And Two Things to Avoid)

Drawing is a practice that’s all your own, but it’s always valuable to get tips from the pros. After all, they’ve gone through hours upon hours of putting pencil to paper and have learned helpful tips and tricks along the way. Illustrator and My Modern Met contributing writer Margherita Cole is a prolific drawer who has shared with us her top suggestions as well as a couple of pitfalls you’ll want to avoid.

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Travel
May 24, 2023

My Modern Met’s Art + Culture Guide to New Orleans

New Orleans is a city rife with art and history. Its vibrant and diverse culture is rooted in its rich history which is a blend of influences from French, Spanish, African, Caribbean, and Creole traditions. This is reflected in every part of the city, from the music to the food to the architecture and cultural events.

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Portrait Photography
May 22, 2023

Powerful Portraits Honor the Stories of People With Physical Differences

Photography can be an empowering tool used to tell stories of those whose voices might struggle to be heard. An image can communicate a lot without words, as is the case with Sujata Setia’s project called Changing the Conversation. The series features people with physical differences as a way to honor their resilience in the face of obstacles. The intimate portraits were inspired by a simple question from Setia’s child.

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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.