Phil Demise Smith

I was born 1947 in Bronx, New York. Earned a BA degree in creative writing from Queens College (City University of New York) in 1970 and a Master of Fine Arts in poetry from Bowling Green State University in 1974. I studied poetry with William Packard, Howard McCord, Tom Raworth, Ray DiPalma, Anselm Hollo and Toby Olson. I’ve had numerous books of poetry published including What I Don’t Know for Sure (Burning Deck), Periods, selected writings 1972-1987 (gegenschein press) and History of Prediction, paintings by Gérard Sendrey, poems by Phil Demise Smith (gegenschein). I have been publishing Gegenschein, a literary arts magazine, since 1971, which also became The Gegenschein Vaudeville Placenter, a performance loft/gallery in Chelsea, NY (1976-1979). The Placenter featured many NY artists and musicians and a number of poetry readings which featured such poets as Charles Bernstein, Kathy Acker, Dick Higgins,Willam Packard, Bruce Andrews, Richard Kostelanetz, Opal Nations and many more. In 1996-1999 I opened Wares For Art, a gallery of art and craft, which also featured poetry readings and music performances.

I began writing poetry when I was 8 years old (the foundation of all my creative activity). Then in 1972 I began writing and p...

BA Queens College of CUNY, 1970. MFA Bowling Green State University, 1974. 36 Credits in Education towards a Masters in Elementary Education, NYS Certified Elementary School Teacher Grades K-5 (Professional Certificate)

PHIL DEMISE SMITH
Exhibitions

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
“Follow the Brush”, Ridgefield Library Gallery, Fall 2022, Ridgefield, CT
“Follow the Brush”, Gallery 77, 2022, Jackson Heights, New York
“The Art of Art is a Way of Seeing”, 2017, Gallery 77, Jackson Heights, New York
“Under the Circumstances”, Olof Gallery, 2016, Leiden, Netherlands
“Phil Demise Smith”, paintings, 2012, Musée Création Franche, Bégles, France
“The Edge of Meaning”, paintings, 2008, Enchanted Garden Gallery, Ridgefield, CT
“National Headache”, paintings, 2000, Blithe Spirit Gallery, Mill Valley, CA