Bio
Valley of Peace Annapurna Burke Fox Bak
Born June 8th, 1975, Plantation, Florida.
Valley Bak is a Palm Beach based Artist and Critical Care Registered Nurse whose work examines the relationship between medicine, the creative process and meditation. Valley’s experience of working with patients on the thresholds of life and death in Cardiovascular Critical Care brings a unique perspective and depth to her work. A self-taught artist, Valley was exposed to Tibetan Buddhist culture and philosophy at age 13. Much of her work focuses on the connections between Science, Nature and Buddhist Mysticism.
Education:
2004 Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Registered Nurse
Magna Cum Laude
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida
2001 Master of Oriental Medicine
Acupuncture Physician
Magna Cum Laude
Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Selected Exhibition History:
2023 ABNY Gallery, East Hampton, New York, group show, A Fundraiser for Maui
2022 Art Smart Auction, New York, New York, virtual group show, Transforming Lives Through Music Mentorship / Metropolitan Opera
2022 Brushes With Cancer, Austin, Texas, group show, Brushes With Cancer / Southwest Program
2022 ABNY Gallery, East Hampton, New York, solo show, Searching For Jimmy Fallon
2021 Guild Hall, East Hampton, New York, Annual Members Show
2021 Springs General Store, East Hampton, New York, Solo Show, Sexy September
2020 Springs General Store, East Hampton, New York, Solo Show, Dakinis and Flowers
2019 Ashawagh Hall, East Hampton, New York, Group Show, Objects in Space
2019 Springs General Store, East Hampton, New York, Solo Show, Autumn in Springs
2018 Springs General Store, East Hampton, New York, Solo Show, Spring in Springs
2018 Guild Hall, East Hampton, New York, Annual Members Show
2017 Guild Hall, East Hampton, New York, Annual Members Show
2016 Guild Hall, East Hampton, New York, Annual Members Show
2013 NYU Hospital, New York, New York, solo show, Origins of Medicine
2012 Tibet House, New York, New York, group show, Sacred Vision/Separate Views
2010 Zanadhu Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, group show, Feminine Visions
2010 Martin Mullin Gallery at SUNY, Oneonta, New York, two-person show, Changeless Nature
2009 Viviana Hansen Gallery, Franklin, New York, solo show, A Buddhist Point of View
2009 American Heart Association, St.Petersburg, Florida, Art For Heart Auction
2009 Ann Norton Sculpture Garden, Palm Beach, Florida, Hands of Compassion around the World Auction
2009 Montgomery County Community College, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, solo show, Enlightenment of Flowers
2009 Viviana Hansen Gallery, Delhi, New York, solo show, A Gift of Art
2008 Viviana Hansen Gallery Gallery, Delhi, New York, group show, Holiday Celebration
2008 Treadwell Museum of Fine Art, Treadwell, New York, group show, Erotica
2007 Treadwell Museum of Fine Art, Treadwell, New York, group show, Disasters of War
2006 Sally Baker Gallery, Ithaca, New York, solo show, Flowers
2004 Hospice by the Sea, Boca Raton, Florida, group show, Healing Images in Art
2002 Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, group show, Aesthetics of Nursing
1995 Gallery Jean-Jacque, Manchester, England, solo show, Omphalopsychism
1995-1996: Studies oil painting with Judy Dupic in Lanta, France. Travels to Paris, Catalonia, Manchester, London, West coast of Ireland, Cadaques, Florence, and Rome.
1997-2001: Studies Chinese Medicine in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Completes three year acupuncture internship with Johanna Yen, MD. Completes two year herbal medicine internship with Boping Wu, MD. Studies Chinese language with Hsinpo Chen, PhD. Awarded full scholarship from Chinese Government to study Mandarin in Beijing, China.
2002-2005: Completes Nursing degree, works in Cardiac Intensive Care Unit in Delray Beach, Florida. Maintains studio in Boca Raton, Florida. Visits Alhambra in Granada, Spain.
2006-2010: Lives and works in Chicago and New York. Studies Buddhist philosophy and meditation with Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche, Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu and Glenn H. Mullin. Travels to Venezuela, The Netherlands, France, and Mongolia. Works as a critical care nurse at Beth Israel in Manhattan.
2011-2013: Lives and works in New York. Maintains studio in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Works at Beth Israel Medical Center in the Cardio -Thoracic Intensive Care Unit as a Critical Care Registered Nurse for five years.
2013-2017: Purchases home in Springs, New York. Builds studio on property. Gets diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma and is treated in NYC. Maintains studio in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Takes two-year leave of absence and focuses intensely on art and meditation. Marries woodworker, Zbigniew Bak. Works as Palliative Care Clinical Coordinator at Southampton Hospital for one year. Travels to Poland.
2018-2020 Lives and works in Springs, East Hampton and Bushwick, Brooklyn. Works full time at New York Presbyterian Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn as bedside RN in Cardio Thoracic Step Down. Works full time in Springs studio.
2020-2021 Works in Cardio Thoracic Step Down Unit during Pandemic in Brooklyn. Unit becomes a Covid -19 ICU, Covid Pneumonia contracted, LOA taken from New York Prebysterian Methodist Hospital. Works through Acute and Post-Covid illness in Springs, East Hampton studio.
2021-2023 Works as a Home Care nurse serving the East End of Long Island followed by work in an Oncology/Hematology infusion clinic. Participates with organization, "Brushes With Cancer", creates Oncology-themed artwork. Lives in East Hampton and paints landscapes that reflect the natural surroundings.
2024 Works as critical care nurse in CVICU in Hollywood, Florida. A theme of Buddhist symbols inside flowers is explored in Boca Raton art studio.