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.
Travel
December 26, 2025

Book of Kells Experience Blends History and Technology To Celebrate the Illuminated Manuscript

Copying a book in the Middle Ages and the Early Renaissance was a laborious process. This was before the advent of movable type, so any text would need to be copied word for word onto blank pages. Some manuscripts were just that—words and nothing else—but others went well beyond text and featured intricately adorned pages of illustrations and illuminations (decorations). These treasured books were aptly called illuminated manuscripts.

Read Article

Photography
December 23, 2025

Ghostly Floral Photos Filled With Cultural and Nostalgic Relics of Millennials’ Past

Still-life painting has a long and rich history. It’s a genre that has persisted across movements, cultures, and periods. The term “still life” is derived from the Dutch word stilleven in the 16th century, although still-life art dates back to ancient times. But just like the art world, the idea of still life continues to evolve and now transcends mediums to include photography. The enduring genre inspires Seattle-based photographer Aaron Leitz.

Read Article

Travel
December 18, 2025

This “Cool” Bar Is Like Drinking Inside a Giant Block of Arctic Ice

There are a lot of inventive and innovative bar concepts out there, but none are as cool as ICEBAR. As the name suggests, this watering hole integrates ice into every aspect of its being. The crystal clear cubes that would typically be floating in your drink are now the vessels from which you sip. Beyond your beverage, the walls are ice, and artwork made of ice adorns the space.

Read Article

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.