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.
Sculpture
May 20, 2026

Sculptor Unearths Ornate Gothic Cathedrals From Uneven Chunks of Marble Stones

Carving stone is no small feat, but artist Matthew Simmonds makes it look effortless. Within hunks of Carrara marble and limestone, he unearths ornate interiors complete with sturdy Doric columns and graceful archways. The formal aspects—the exacting angles, visual balance, and details—stand in sharp contrast to the coarse, uneven edges in which they’re contained. The juxtaposition evokes the feeling that these places are hidden or otherwise obscured, making us imagine we’ve encountered (or rediscovered)

Read Article

Academy
May 12, 2026

How 20 Minutes Can Improve Your Creativity and Build Real Artistic Skills

Here’s a secret about making art: you don’t have to block hours out of your day to improve your skills. Consistent art sessions, as short as 20 minutes, can add up to real skill-building. That’s a relief, especially if you want to exercise your creativity but have limited time during your day. You can easily replace 20 minutes of doom-scrolling on your phone with an art session and feel better for it.

Read Article

Read More Articles

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.