The Art of Possibility

Barbara McFall’s bold idea to transform a dilapidated building into a center for creativity has become a lasting legacy for Southport — Brunswick Community College’s Southport Center for Heritage Arts.

Shortly after Barbara McFall retired and moved to Southport in 2013, she went for a walk and came upon a building remodel in progress on Lord Street. A sign on site had a phone number to call for information. On a hunch, she called the number. And that was all she needed to pursue a most unlikely dream.

McFall was told that the property once belonged to the City of Southport, but they gifted it to Brunswick Community College (BCC) in Bolivia to be used by the college to serve the Southport population. McFall immediately contacted Velva Jenkins, then dean of workforce development at BCC, and said, “If you let me use this building, I will build a Southport Arts Center for BCC.”

Intrigued, Jenkins was ready to take a chance on a woman she had never met.

There was one problem, however: The school could not afford to hire a Ph.D., especially one with McFall’s impressive credentials.

“Yes, you can,” McFall countered, “because I will work for whatever you can afford to pay me.”

And that was the first step of the Southport Center, a success story that neither she nor Jenkins could have imagined. Along with Jenkins, McFall credits her success to the invaluable help and support from BCC President Dr. Gene Smith and Vice President Greg Bland.

“Without them I could never have done it,” she says.

One thing McFall was sure of was that what worked in Bolivia was not going to work in Southport. Bolivia residents are younger (median age 38) and more geared toward learning a trade, getting certified and landing a job. For that population, the Workforce Development programs offerings were and still are exactly what that population needs.

On the other hand, the Southport community residents are older (median age 64), mostly retired and ready to learn a new skill or become more proficient in one they had always enjoyed but had to give up when their career got in the way. They wanted the joy of creating things.

Recognizing the divergence of needs and interests between the two communities, McFall knew she could capitalize on it and make Southport a center for the cultural arts.

It was a bold move, but then McFall’s whole life had been full of those.

She started her career as an artist at age four when she painted murals on her bedroom wall and won her first art contest at age six with a painting of an elephant. She put herself through college and graduate school by painting and selling portraits starting when she was in high school.

She earned her Ph.D. from Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center in San Francisco.

In addition to being a portrait artist, she has worked as an interior decorator; the owner/operator of a small business financing and services corporation; the owner of McFall Gallery, a retail art and picture framing business; an educational consultant; and a professor in the Division of Design & Merchandising at West Virginia University.

McFall’s career changes were always for the same reason. She saw an opportunity that looked like an interesting challenge and decided to give it a try. Fortunately for the greater Southport community, she wanted to turn an old building into a center for cultural arts to help community residents pursue their dreams.

At the time McFall took over the Southport Center, the course curriculum consisted of one painting class and one pottery class. A couple of academic courses were also offered, but they were not well attended. The total school enrollment was fewer than 50 students.

Contrast that with current enrollment for the fall 2026 semester of 80 classes with a total of more than 800 registrations.

The school offers courses in spring, summer and fall with more than 2,000 registrations and 30 instructors a year. McFall is quick to point out that 2,000 registrations does not mean 2,000 different students because some students take more than one class. In recognition of the school’s new direction, it is now known as Southport Center for Heritage Arts.

The course offerings have expanded well beyond painting and pottery to include both stained and fused glass, fiber sewing, silver jewelry making, photography, creative writing, music recording and production, woodturning and woodcarving. Two years ago, a new building was erected to house classes in metal knife making and metal sculpture. This year classes in leather crafting were added. Most of the subjects have both beginner and advanced classes.

With the school’s expansion and diversity of course offerings and its growing reputation for excellence, it is no surprise that it has run out of capacity. But, fortunately, not for long.

With her usual foresight, McFall saw that coming and began advocating for the unfinished wing of the of the building to be completed. If all goes according to plan, the size and capacity of the school will double by October 2026. The new painting and pottery rooms will be much larger to accommodate more students, and the pottery room will have a larger kiln. The woodturning class will also be in there, as will photography classes.

After conceiving of a Southport cultural arts center 11 years ago and planning, championing and managing its development, McFall has finally decided it is time for her to retire, once again.

Asked if she will miss watching the completion of the new wing, she says, “Oh no, I won’t miss it; I will just watch it as a student rather than manage it as the director.”

EXPLORE YOUR ARTISTIC SIDE
Brunswick Community College Southport Center for Heritage Arts
701 N. Lord Street, Southport
(910) 755-6500
brunswickcc.edu/continuing-education-workforce-development/heritage-arts