FAIRFIELD, CA – For the past nine years, Sarah Barsness has been an integral force within Solano Community College’s Photography program. But her impact reaches far beyond f-stops and shutter speeds — she’s known for seeing her students not just through the lens, but for who they truly are.
Barsness didn’t always envision herself in a classroom or behind a camera.
“I was not a great student — really smart, but kind of sporadic,” Barsness reflected.
At 22, she dropped out of college and moved to Seattle, where she became a floral designer. It was in that creative field that she first discovered a love for teaching, hoping one day to instruct others in floral design at a local community college.
While teaching floral design, Barsness enrolled in photography classes just for fun — a decision that would quietly change the course of her life. As her job at the college shifted in direction, she found herself in her mid-30s, reconsidering her path. Teaching still called to her, but something deeper stirred.
“I felt bad the entire time I walked away from school,” she stated. “Not because I missed out on knowledge, but because I missed out on a milestone — and this sense of confidence that comes with finishing a degree.”
Determined to change that, she enrolled at Seattle Central Community College. The experience was transformational. Taking 20 credits in one semester, Barsness immersed herself in the student experience, discovering a renewed sense of purpose. Her passion for community college — its mission, its people, its energy — solidified. She aimed higher and applied to the University of Washington, but was rejected, a setback she took in stride.
Still committed, she continued taking photography classes. One evening, while working late in the photo center, she reconnected with an old friend who mentioned Evergreen State College. Curious, Barsness looked into the school and found a perfect fit. She earned her associate degree in photography and redefined what success meant for her.
So she packed her bags for New York City in pursuit of becoming a professional artist. Exhibitions followed, and there were close brushes with success — but something was missing.
“I wasn’t having any fun,” Barsness admitted.
The missing piece came unexpectedly when a colleague at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, where she was teaching, mentioned a faculty opening at Solano Community College. Barsness felt an instant connection.
“It hit me,” she said. “I wanted to be at a community college again.”
She then applied, and the rest is history.
Today, Barsness is not only a photography instructor but a mentor and guide. Her classroom is known as a space of warmth, empathy, and honest reflection. She encourages her students to look beyond career titles and instead ask themselves, “How do I want to live every day? What do I want to be doing with my time?”
Her own nontraditional path has made her especially empathetic to students who struggle.
“Some of my most memorable moments have been when students confide in me,” Barsness remarked. “We really don’t know what’s happening in their lives.” Sarah Barsness’ journey is one of resilience, reinvention, and the quiet power of self-discovery.
From floral design to fine art, from community college dropout to dedicated educator, she has proven that it’s never too late to find your path — or to help others find theirs.
At Solano Community College, she’s not just teaching photography; she’s showing students how to see — both the world around them and their own potential — in a whole new light.
