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.
Art
June 19, 2025

Get a Peek at the New ‘UNBOUND’ Exhibition Coming to the Museum of African Diaspora

This fall, the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) is set to open an expansive exhibition that invites viewers to imagine Blackness as one of limitless possibilities. Titled UNBOUND: Art, Blackness, and the Universe, it's a group exhibition that explores the “critical connections between Blackness, scientific and spiritual cosmologies, and post-human thought.” UNBOUND highlights Blackness as a powerful force that lies at the intersection of creativity and the scholarly.

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Music
June 18, 2025

Musical Instrument Museum Showcases the Extraordinary Craft of 16th Century Stringed Instruments

Instruments are a crowning human achievement. For many thousands of years, we've engineered ways to create music and have then learned to master the instruments that enable us to do so. The oldest object identified as a musical instrument is a simple flute dating back between 50,000 and 60,000 years. If you’re fascinated by musical instruments, especially as a way to examine traditions and culture, then you’ll want to visit the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM)

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Tattoos
June 12, 2025

Intricate Blue Ink Tattoos Wrap the Body in Sprawling Chinese-Inspired Dragon Designs

Korean tattoo artist Woojin Choi, better known as Oozy, creates detailed body art using shades of blue ink. Foregoing the standard black ink outline, Oozy works in monochrome to etch fine-line drawings of sprawling Chinese-inspired dragons that wind around arms, legs, and even skulls. The artist’s color choice, paired with his intricate style, transforms his clients into incredible moving art galleries.

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Crafts
June 2, 2025

Monumental Yarn Portraits Are This Artist’s Way of Celebrating Her BIPOC Community

Artist Kandy G Lopez is inspired by her community. “Those who have swagger,” she tells My Modern Met, “a rebel who glows and is forced to be seen in a place where we are told to disappear. I'm inspired by those who dare to dream with their armor on.” Lopez’s admiration takes the form of vibrant, monumental fiber art portraits of BIPOC people living in South Florida, where she's based.

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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.