Posts by Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
July 30, 2025

Life-Sized Wire Mesh Animal Sculptures Roam the Galleries of a German Museum

British artist Kendra Haste creates life-sized animal sculptures from a material typically used to corral chickens. Using hexagonal mesh—more commonly known as “chicken wire”—she layers the metal netting to build both form and to express the personality of the creature she’s conveying. For many years, her work has been exhibited in the UK, the U.S., and Asia, and now, for the first time, her sculptures are being showcased in Germany.

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July 18, 2025

These Creative Products Are Perfect Companions To Outdoor Summer Fun

Summer is the perfect opportunity to enjoy all that the warm weather has to offer. Think outdoor markets, open-air concerts, and impromptu picnics with friends. And with all of these activities, there are accessories that are valuable companions. They make things easier or more convenient, and many times more fun. My Modern Met Store has all of your summer staples to make the most of the rest of the season.

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July 15, 2025

Hyperrealistic Artist Reveals the Drawing He Almost Gave up on and What It Taught Him [Interview]

Hyperrealistic drawing combines technical skill and the determination to depict something exactly as the human eye sees it. While that alone is impressive, adding an element of surrealism makes it both technically awe-inspiring and stimulates our intellectual curiosity. South African artist Jono Dry creates drawings so masterfully hyperrealistic that you’d think they were photographs if not for their very surreal elements.

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