Every community has remarkable people doing meaningful work. This feature shines a spotlight on the individuals whose talents, passions, and dedication help shape life in Beaufort, SC.
I’d like to introduce you to artist and educator Emma Barnes, one of the many creative people helping shape Beaufort’s vibrant arts community.
Barnes, who teaches painting and drawing at the University of South Carolina Beaufort, was recently named USCB’s 2026 First Year Instructor of the Year, an award recognizing excellence in teaching and mentoring freshman students as they make the transition to college life. Barnes was nominated by her students and selected by a panel of faculty members.
Although she joined the USCB faculty full time in 2025, Barnes is no stranger to Beaufort. Before pursuing her MFA, she taught art in Beaufort-area charter schools, working with students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. She credits those experiences with helping her to develop the skills to relate to incoming freshman students, and takes being able to meet them where they are and assist them in their transition to college life very seriously.
A native of Hampton County, Barnes attended the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities before earning a BFA in Painting and Printmaking and a second degree in Gender Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University. She later studied in Greece through an artist residency in Athens and earned her MFA in Painting, Drawing, and Photography through Alfred University’s International Düsseldorf Program, which allowed her to study and work in Europe. She’s bringing a wealth of experience from all over the world to her students in Beaufort.
Barnes credits USCB’s close-knit environment with allowing her to build meaningful relationships with students and witness firsthand the tremendous growth that often takes place during a student’s first year. While helping students to develop a strong studio practice is important, she also emphasizes writing and public speaking skills so they can confidently discuss their work, participate in critique, and engage thoughtfully with the world around them.
Outside the classroom, Barnes remains an active working artist and a familiar face in the local arts community.
Residents may recognize her from festivals, exhibitions, and pop-up events throughout the region, most recently the Taste of Beaufort’s Taste of the Arts and the Freedman Arts District’s Chalk-It-Up! festival.
She was recently selected as the first artist for the Town of Port Royal’s six-month residency at Jefferson Commons on Paris Avenue. There, she maintains a daily studio practice, modeling the same dedication and work ethic she encourages in her students while creating work for upcoming exhibitions at Stevenson and Co. in Charleston, the Greenwood Center for the Arts, and Converse University.
For Barnes, teaching and making art are inseparable. Her work in the studio informs her teaching, and her students continually inspire her to grow as an artist, educator, and mentor.
An ExploreBeaufortSC.com contributor, Heather Bruemmer is an author, arts advocate, and travel enthusiast who has called the Lowcountry home since 2001. A mother of six, she enjoys exploring the people, places, food, and culture that make the region unique.
