Phoenix Marks

“My approach to public art, photography and life is grounded in my spiritual belief that “we are all one, we are all interconnected.” As a fine art nature photographer and curator of exhibitions and murals, for me the importance of public art is more than creating captivating artwork; it is sacred responsibility for bringing healing, joy and peace to the human soul and greater community.” — Phoenix Marks

A native Miamian, fine art photographer Phoenix has enjoyed a varied career that ranges from public relations and media relations to business coach to English, journalism, film-making educator and published author. All disciplines have converged to form who she is today: an award-winning nature photographer with a mission to touch people’s hearts through art.

Ms. Marks has translated her depth of experience in leadership and community engagement for large, public-sector organizations into her career as a fine art photographer as well as leader of art organizations participating in public art. The former Chief of Staff to the Superintendent of Schools for the nation’s fifth largest public school system, she managed staffs up to 98 people across five divisions — including volunteers (over 20,000), media relations and public relations, and Board relations — and was fiscally responsible for managing up to a $10 million operating budget. The featured artist for an exhibition in England, her photography works have been honored in numerous juried exhibitions, showcased in 12 solo exhibitions, including Everglades National Park Gallery and the Olive Stack Gallery, featured in magazines and calendars worldwide and can be found in private collections in America and Europe. The recipient of two art grants, an artist residency in Ireland, and curator of eight exhibitions, including the prestigious Broward County “Doing Business As 2017 Exhibit” and the ENDANGERED Exhibit – Art Basel, Ms. Marks serves as president of the National League of American Pen Women, Fort Lauderdale Branch, and Project COAT (Community of Artists Transform), a 501 (c)(3) dedicated to revitalizing communities through public art.

Phoenix Marks has translated her depth of experience in leadership and community engagement for large, public-sector organizations into her career as an award-winning, fine art photographer as well as leader of art organizations participating in public art.For Phoenix the extraordinary beauty of nature and wilderness are a wonder. Attempting to fix them in time is her passion; photography is her art. Known for her painterly approach to composition, light, color and texture to capture the soul of her subjects in her photography, her works have been honored in numerous juried exhibitions, showcased in solo exhibitions, including Everglades National Park Gallery and Listowel, Ireland’s Olive Stack Gallery, featured in magazines and calendars worldwide and can be found in private collections in America and Europe. She is the recipient of several awards including the Broward Cultural Council’s Creative Investment Program Grant two times and Best in Landscape at the International Photography Juried Competition as well as the Olive Stack Gallery AIR. Professionally Phoenix serves as president of Project COAT (c)(3) and the National League of American Pen Women, Fort Lauderdale Branch. A native Miamian, Phoenix lives and works in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

GRANTS/RESIDENCY/CURATOR/HONORS/MISC

2018 July, Light, Space and Time Exhibit, won 9th Place out 1,558 entries from 39 countries worldwide
2018 March-May, “Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way,” Cleveland Clinic Hospital, Weston, FL
2017 December, Curator, ENDANGERED Art & Photography International Contest supporting Center for Great Apes, Art Basel Miami, Miami, FL
2017 June, Curator, Chrysalis: A Time for Change DBA 2017 Exhibit, ArtServe, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2017 May, Featured Artist Fort Lauderdale Home Show, Broward Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2017 February, Featured Artist, Endangered Exhibit-Europe, London, UK
2016 December, Curator, ENDANGERED Art & Photography International Contest supporting Center for Great Apes, Art Basel Miami, Miami, FL
2016 October, Photography workshop leader, Listowel, Ireland
2016 October, Artist Residency, Grace Stack Gallery, Listowel, Ireland
2016 September, Grant Recipient, Creative Incentive Program (CIP), Broward Cultural Council, Broward County, FL
2016 January-April, Curator, “The Nature of Women,” Bailey Hall Performance Gallery, Davie, FL
2015 April, Co-organizer and Curator, Celebration of Florida Wildlife and Nature Photography Exhibit, featuring 31 photographers and 80 pieces, raised over $4000 for Green Cay Nature Center, Delray Beach, FL
2015, March – September, Curator, NATURE: Splendor of South Florida, Coconut Creek Recreational Center, Coconut Creek, FL
2014 October, Jurist, ENDANGERED Art & Photography International Contest, supporting the Center for Great Apes
2013 September, Alumnus, Creative Capital “You Are Your Brand” Workshop, Broward County Cultural Division, Broward County, FL
2013 June, Alumnus, Artist as Entrepreneur Institute, Broward County Cultural Division, Broward County, FL
2012 December, Alumnus, Creative Capital “Real Community Engagement Workshop,” Broward County Cultural Division, Broward County, FL
2012 November, Grant Recipient, Top Individual Artist, Creative Incentive Program (CIP), Broward Cultural Council, Broward County, FL
1990’s, Instructor – Photography, Filmmaking, Television Production, Journalism

PUBLIC ART

2017 December, Utility Box Wraps, City of Oakland Park, FL, Kathleen Margoles, Community and Economic Development Director, kathleenm@oaklandparkfl.gov, 954-630-4240, Budget $1,200
2017 November, President, Curate and Manage, Project COAT, International Mural project, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Mary Ann Cohen, MAC Art Galleries, mcohen@macfineart.com, 954-990-5420, Budget $50,000
2015, September–December, Inside Out – Broward 100, Project Photographer, Broward County Cultural Division, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Jody Leshinsky, former Assistant Director, Broward Cultural Division, jrleshinsky@gmail.com, 954-532-1925, Budget $3,000

JURIED EXHIBITIONS (selected)

2016-2019 January, Annual Fine Art Fair, Lauderdale Yacht Club, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2018-2019 December-April, Doubletree-GALLERYone Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2018-2019 December-May, CIRC Hotel, Hollywood, FL
2018-2019 December-January, Gratitude & Joy, Bailey Contemporary Arts, Pompano Beach, FL
2013-2018 December, ENDANGERED Exhibition, Art Basel Miami, Miami, FL
2018 August, Wonder Exhibition, Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins,CO, Louie
2018 June, Avante Garde, ArtServe, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Long Room, I Am Women
2018 April, Art and Soul, Business For the Arts of Broward, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Loxahatchee Sunset, Blue Boat (Sold)
2018 April, Art Florida, Broward Art Guild, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Blue Night Over Ballybunion
2018 March, Through a Women’s Heart, Bailey Hall, Broward College, Davie, FL, Homage to Dali’s Surrealist Flower Girl (Third Place)
2018 January, 11th Annual Fine Art Fair, Lauderdale Yacht Club, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2017 November, Dali and Me, MAC Art Galleries, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2017 November, Small Works, Broward Art Guild, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Tree and Stream (Honorable Mention)
2017 July, Red Eye, ArtServe, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Major Oak, Winter Cypress, Fall Cypress
2017 June, Chrysalis: A Time for Change DBA 2017 Exhibit, ArtServe, Fort Lauderdale, FL (Curator and Artist).
2017 April, Tri-County Exhibition, Broward Art Guild, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Early Morning Fog, Big Cypress Swamp
2017 April, Art and Soul Exhibition, Business for the Arts, GALLERYone DoubleTree Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Tree and Stream(Sold) and Blue Night Over Ballybunion
2017 April, Making New Impressions, Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Grace (Sold).
2017 February, Featured Artist, Endangered Exhibit, London, UK. Sold 16 art works.
2017 January, 10th Annual Fine Art Fair, Lauderdale Yacht Club, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Stillness (Sold), Grace (Sold)
2016 November, At Home With Art, Fort Lauderdale Home Show, Broward Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL., Louie (Sold), Light in the Forest (Sold) and Stillness (Sold)
2016 July, Summer Sizzle Salon, Broward Art Guild, Fort Lauderdale, FL, First Light (Honorable Mention)
2016 June, DBA Catalyst, Artist Entrepreneur Art Exhibition, ArtServe, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Grace (Sold)
2016 May, At Home With Art, Fort Lauderdale Home Show, Broward Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL. Sold-Grace, Dawn’s Early Light, Sanctuary, Winter Cypress, Louie and Before the Storm
2016 April, Art and Soul Exhibition, Business for the Arts, GALLERYone DoubleTree Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Burrowing Owl(Sold) and Reflections (Sold)
2016 March, New Impressions, Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Dawn’s Early Light (Sold)
2016 February, 9th Annual Fine Art Fair, Lauderdale Yacht Club, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Burrowing Owl(Sold)
2016 January-April, The Nature of Women, Bailey Hall Gallery, Davie, FL. (Artist and Curator)
2016 January, Art Bravo Exhibition, ArtServe, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Sanctuary
2015 November, FSA – National League of American Pen Women 2015 Art Competition, Orlando, FL
2015 July-October, “NATURE: Splendor of South Florida, Coconut Creek Recreational Center, Coconut Creek, FL
2015 July-September, “Do It Duet,” Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, FL, 40 works, exhibited along with Lawrence Levine
2015, March, Art and Soul Exhibition, Business for the Arts, GALLERYone DoubleTree Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Before the Storm (Sold), Om Shanti Shanti (Sold)
2014 March, Impressions Exhibition, Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Before the Storm (Sold)
2013 December, Everglades Forever Project, Museum of Discover and Science, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2013 October, National Photography/Digital Imagery Exhibition, Palm Beach State College, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
2013 September, Photo Now, Lighthouse Art Center Museum, Gallery & School of Art, Tequesta, FL (Jurist Nancy Brown)
2013 August, 2013 International Photography Competition, Artists Haven Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2012 February, Impressions Exhibition, Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Eagle (Sold)
2011 September, Seasons Change Exhibition, Gallery 101, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2011 August, Summer Heat II Exhibition, Rossetti Fine Art, Pompano Beach, FL
2010 March, Arthur Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge 27th Annual Photography Contest, Boynton Beach, FL

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2018-19 December-January, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
2018 October-November, SB Architects, Coral Gables, FL
2018 August-October, The Bake Bar, Oakland Park, FL
2018 August-September, The Everglades: Spirit of the Land, BaCA, Bailey Contemporary Arts, BaCA, Pompano Beach, FL
2018 March-June, Ireland Exhibit, Cleveland Clinic Hospital, Weston, FL
2018 January-April, Las Olas Capital Arts, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2017 August-November, Cleveland Clinic Hospital, Weston, FL
2016 October, Olive Stack Gallery, Listowel, Ireland, Co Kerry
2016 March-April, City of Sunrise Gallery, Sunrise, FL, 23: Celebrating Everglades National Park
2015 November, West Regional Library, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Featured 30 wetland, framed wall pieces
2013 November-2014 September, One Year in the Life of The Everglades, Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce
2013 October, Fort Lauderdale on Exhibit Now, Fort Lauderdale City Hall, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2013 May-July, Wild Florida Exhibition, North Lauderdale Library, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2013 April, Wetland Wonders Exhibition, Broward Art Guild, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2012 December, Photographs By Phoenix, Java Boys, Wilton Manors, FL
2012 August, Wild Florida, Everglades National Park Gallery, Homestead, FL
2012 January-February, Photographs By Phoenix, Fat Village Art Walk, Bill Weller’s Allstate Insurance Office, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2011 January, Visions of Light, Joe Picasso’s, Fort Lauderdale, FL

PUBLICATIONS

2018 September, “Art & Life with Phoenix SpiritDiva,” Thought Provokers Series, VoyageMIA.com http://voyagemia.com/interview/art-life-phoenix-spiritdiva/
2018 August, “Spirit of the Everglades in photography exhibit coming to BaCA,” Pelican Newspaper, Pompano Beach, FL
2018, 30 Photographs In 30 Days: Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, by Phoenix
2018 Chamber of Commerce, Lauderdale by the Sea, Calendar
2017 June, ArtHive Magazine, “The End of the Starving Artist,” article and photograph
2017 April – December, Featured artist in international advertising campaign for 2017 ENDANGERED Art & Photography Contest, including Outdoor Photography Magazine, INK Magazine, UK publications (Grace)
2016 October, “Phoenix Rises at Listowel Gallery,” Kerry’s Eye
2016 June, “DBA Catalyst” Catalog
2016 April, Sun-Sentinel Forum, article on Phoenix and her “23: Celebrating Everglades National Park” Exhibit
2016 Winter, The Pen Women Magazine, “Fort Lauderdale Branch Members Exhibit Work”
2015 September, Coconut Creek Lifestyle Magazine, “The Nature of Women”
2015 July, Sun-Sentinel, “Do It Duet” article with featured photograph
2015 National Wildlife Federation’s “Page-A-Day Calendar”
2014 April, Arts Business Institute, Artist Profile
2014 April, National Wildlife Federation’s “2014 Spirit of the Wild” calendar
2013 October, Fort Lauderdale Currents, City of Fort Lauderdale magazine
2013 August, HerLife South Florida Magazine
2013 July, ArtBlend Magazine
2012 Fall, University of Miami Magazine, “Cane in the Act: Q & A with Phoenix”
2012 March, National Wildlife Federation, “Nature’s Mirror: 13 Spectacular Photos with Water Reflections”
2011-2015, Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Calendar

TOUCHING HEARTS^TM GREETING CARDS, June 2011-Current
Distinctive fine art photography cards by artist, feature over 100 designs, sold in gift stores throughout south Florida.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
President, Project COAT 501 (c)(3), Fort Lauderdale-International Muralist Project, August 2017-Current
President, National League of American PEN Women, Fort Lauderdale, FL Chapter, May 2015-Current
Vice President and Education Chair, Broward Art Guild, Board of Directors, Fort Lauderdale, FL, May 2013-2016
Founding Member, The Photography League, Fort Lauderdale, FL, January 2016
Member, National League of American Pen Women, Fort Lauderdale, FL Chapter, October 2014-Current
Member, ArtServe, Fort Lauderdale, FL, June 2013-Current
Founding Member, Light Chasers of South Florida, Miami, FL, November 2012-Current
Member, Venetian Arts Society, Fort Lauderdale, FL, August 2012-Current
Member, National Association of Photoshop Professionals, November 2011-Current
Member, Broward Art Guild, Fort Lauderdale, FL, July 2011-Current
Board Member, South Florida Camera Club, Fort Lauderdale, FL, September 2010-Current
Member, South Florida Nature and Wildlife Photography, Miami, FL, January 2010-Current

Video

Phoenix Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVrjOwnrFp8
Phoenix at Las Olas Capital Arts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjUxLjlfmew&t=10s
DBA Artist Entrepreneur Exhibition 2017
Crysalis 2017 DBA
Wetland Wonders Exhibit
Photo Montage

EDUCATION
Nova University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, M.S., English, Administration and Supervision, Magna Cum Laude
University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, B. Ed., English, Cum Laude
Miami Dade College, Miami, FL, A.A.