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

2,400-Year-Old Mosaic of an Unbothered Skeleton Reminds Us To โ€œEnjoy Your Lifeโ€

Weโ€™ve all heard the clichรฉ, โ€œDonโ€™t worry, be happy,โ€ and while it may be easier said than done, the sentiment has been around for a long time. Just how long? In 2012, Turkish archaeologists discovered a 2,400-year-old mosaic that appears to be the ancient equivalent of the phrase. The piece features a portrait of a reclining skeleton with one hand behind its head and a cup in the other.

Read Article


July 24, 2025

Sprawling โ€˜Art Paris 2025โ€™ Was as Grand as the Restored โ€˜Grand Palaisโ€™ Where It Was Held

The fully restored Grand Palais in Paris held its first major event in April of this year. From April 3 to April 6, 2025, it hosted Art Paris 2025, a sprawling spring fair that welcomed 170 galleries from 25 countries. Back under the soaring glass dome, this yearโ€™s edition was a smash returnโ€”not only for the Grand Palais but also for Art Paris.

Read Article


July 18, 2025

Italian Sound Festival Fuses History With Electronic Music To Recreate an Electrifying Arch on Stage

Live music can immerse you in the moment, making you feel as though youโ€™re in a different world. The music itself plays a large part, but so does the visual design of the event. Architecture studio STUFISH created a striking stage design for the electronic Adriatic Sound Festival at Fano Airport in Italy from June 13 to June 14, 2025.

Read Article


July 17, 2025

Musical Instrument Museum Highlights the Shared Experience of Making Music Across the World

Music tells the story of our history and culture, and one museum showcases different instruments from around the world and across time. The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) showcases more than 4,200 instruments and associated objects (out of over 12,000) in its collection, housed over two floors of light-filled galleries in Phoenix, Arizona. Boasting a diverse, international collection, MIM recognizes that music is something we all share.

Read Article