Carrie Phoenix
3 Cherry Tree Cottage
Southwold Road
Holton
Halesworth
IP19 8PW
+44 (0) 7977 490122
https://www.tumblr.com/voidbeforecreation-blog
https://www.tumblr.com/global-local-blog
BORN
12/01/1985, Ipswich, UK
EDUCATION
June 2012: BA Fine Arts, First Class Honours, University of Brighton, UK
May 2003: A Levels, Design, English literature and Psychology. Framlingham College, UK
June 2001: 10 GCSE’s, Stradbroke High School, UK.
TRAINING
Current: Emergency First Aid at Work - Outdoor Pursuits, Level 3, 16hr VTQ
SAFEcic Safeguarding Lead Training for children and young people and vulnerable adults
2024 – 2025: Alitus Executive Leadership Programme
2022 - 2023: Recover, Recharge, Renew: Virtual Action Learning
WORK
2026 – Present | Independent Consultant (Weaving, Participation & Cross-Sector Collaboration)
Available for consultancy, facilitation and project development across the environmental, community and education sectors.
Drawing on two decades of experience in the arts, community development and environmental sectors, I help organisations build meaningful connections between people, places, ideas and institutions. My work focuses on stakeholder engagement, partnership development, collaborative project design and creating the conditions for effective cross-sector working.
Areas of expertise include:
Landscape recovery and stakeholder engagement
Community participation and co-design
Cross-sector partnership development
Environmental education and nature connection
Creative project design and facilitation
Charity and programme development
Available for consultancy, facilitation, project development, partnership building, stakeholder engagement and strategic planning.
2023 – 2026 | Co-Founder & Executive Director | Natural Habitat
Co-founded and led Natural Habitat, an environmental education charity using creative and collaborative approaches to connect people with landscapes, food systems and biodiversity.
Key achievements:
Grew the organisation from start-up to securing over £110,000 in funding within 2.5 years.
Developed Natural Habitat's distinctive place-based and participatory methodology, bringing together farmers, educators, artists, ecologists, communities and land managers.
Led the design and delivery of the Weaving Farms, Land, People & Planet programme.
Lead consultant for stakeholder and community engagement on the Connecting Constable & Gainsborough Landscape Recovery Project.
Lead consultant on the Diverse Communities, Diverse Crops project in partnership with Barleybird CIC.
Developed cross-sector partnership and engagement strategies supporting landscape recovery initiatives across Suffolk and Essex.
Built strategic partnerships with farming clusters, schools, refugee support organisations, environmental charities and local authorities.
Led programmes engaging more than 1,000 participants across schools, communities and farming landscapes.
2015 - Current: freelance artist projects
2015 - 2023: Project Development Officer, Suffolk Artlink.
2018 -19 Maternity leave
2018 Trained as a Mental Health Youth First Aider
2018 Artistic lead, professional development session for the Step Up artists www.suffolkartlink.org.uk/our-work/step-up/
2017 - 2018 Devised and initiated the Around the Table project for adult family carers www.suffolkartlink.org.uk/our-work/around-the-table/
2017 - 18 Ran and devised new work for the Avenues project for young adult family carers www.suffolkartlink.org.uk/our-work/avenues/
2017 - 18 Devised and ran the Giggle Visit project www.suffolkartlink.org.uk/our-work/giggle-visits/
2015 - 18 Ran and devised new work for the Clown Round project www.suffolkartlink.org.uk/our-work/clown-round/
2015 - 16 Ran the Making Spaces module for the JumpstART project www.suffolkartlink.org.uk/our-work/jumpstart/
2015 Set up an art outreach between Barnardos Meadows School, Kent and The Orpheus Centre, Surrey UK
2015 Resident artist at Barnardos Meadows School, Kent UK
2015 Support Worker for the Orpheus Centre, Surrey UK
2014 – 15 Learning Support for Suffolk Artlink
2014- 15 Studio Manager for Heather & Ivan Morison, UK, Germany and Russia
2011 – 13 (intermittent) Artists assistant to Heather & Ivan Morison
2013 Artist in Residence – Nes Artist Residency, Skagastrond, Iceland
2013 Interior Stylist assistant for Sophie Robinson Interiors
2012 – 13 Freelance Prop maker for Plunge Productions and A-Theme, Sussex UK
2009 – 12 Fine Art Sculpture student, University of Brighton
2008 – 2010 Contemporary Cast Iron Sculpture Symposium Coordinator, Butley Mills Studio UK and Berllanderi Sculpture Workshop, Wales
2008 – 10 Artists assistant to artists Alice Garland – ceramicist, Suffolk, Harvey Hood - sculptor, Wales, Alvin Booth – photographer NY and France, Garth Boden – painter, France, Dilys Jackson – sculptor, Wales.
2006 – 07 Artist in residence and educational coordinator for Franconia Sculpture Park, USA
2004 – 6 Artist assistant to Brian Alabaster, Sculptor, Suffolk UK, David Chapman of Ancient Arts, Jersey and Goldsmiths apprentice to Alexander Davey, Suffolk UK
2004 Travelling through India – photographic expedition.
EXHIBITIONS
2022 First Light Festival
2021 First Light Festival
2019 The Cut Open
2015 Brighton, Kultuuur
2013 Skagastrond, Iceland – Nes Artist Residency
2012 University of Brighton gallery – degree show
2011 89 Copenhagen Place, London, Courting the Linesman
2011 University of Brighton gallery
2010 Pepper Pot, Brighton, Two Sleep
2010 Open Studios, Brighton
2009 Sculpture Show, University of Brighton
2008
2007 Franconia Sculpture Park
2007 Symposium of Contemporary Cast Iron, Alabama USA
2006 Sculpture Biennale, Minneapolis USA
2006 ArtWhirl, Minneapolis USA
2006 Night of Fire, Florida USA
2006 – 2009 Touring Iron Maidens exhibition, UK, Wales and USA