For ten days in December, all of America will be united through art, and Aiken, South Carolina helps to make it possible. It is called The Nomadic Project, and it’s connecting the country, one state at a time. The concept originated with two passionate artists who recrute one gallery, museum, or art center in each of the fifty states to participate by displaying a painting that was inspired by a neighboring state. In South Carolina, it is the Aiken Center for the Arts that was chosen to represent their entire state!

When visual artist, Kristin Abraham and musician, Alfonso Llamas saw the United States divided through war and politics, they realized that the only way to find unity would be to return to the source. That meant the land; one nation divided into fifty uniquely different states. So Abraham and Llamas set out to visit the big cities, small towns, and National Historic sites that make up this broken nation, and pull it together with art.

Living out of their orange Honda Element, Abraham and Llamas recently toured their forty-eighth state. After spending a week in each state, Abraham responds to her experiences by painting a 24 x 30" canvas. That painting is carried to the next state, where it is displayed in a participating gallery until the end of 2006. This process physically unites the country through art, by blurring state borders.

The Aiken Center for the Arts will be displaying a painting that was inspired by North Carolina until December 31st. The piece, titled Angle of Incidence illustrates the history of aviation with the 1905 Wright Flyer breaking through one of Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches of a flying machine to reveal the present day memorial which stands in Kill Devil Hills, NC. The Aiken Center joins The Whistler Museum of Art (Lowell, MA), American Fine Art (Dallas, TX), Crossroads Contemporary (Santa Fe, NM), Carla Schmidt Gallery (San Francisco, CA), Habitat Gallery (Denver, CO), and the Portland Art Center (Portland, OR) along with many other participating galleries across the country. A complete list of the galleries can be viewed at www.TheNomadicProject.com.

From December 21st-31st all of America will be participating when one gallery in each state displays a single painting. "Without the participation of local communities, this type of project could never be possible. Their support encourages us that art can bridge the gap between lands, languages, politics and religion." Abraham shares.

Llamas is recording the experience through original music and working on a documentary of this physical and emotional journey. With an acoustic guitar, he records poetic melodies on a laptop, right from the road. As the artists travel, they encourage communities to participate online at www.TheNomadicProject.com, where the artwork, music, video trailer and even journal entries can be viewed as the project unfolds.

December will not be the end of The Nomadic Project. In November of 2007, all of the work created during the journey will be united for the first time in a physical exhibit, scheduled to travel to each region of the country. The exhibit will begin in Florida and follow the original path taken by the artists. Any emails that Abraham and Llamas receive along the way will also become part of this exhibit to illustrate how the communities influenced them.

As Abraham and Llamas travel the final two states before returning to Florida, where they left one year ago, they continue to record their experiences. Abraham is scribbling through her fifth sketchbook, while Llamas journals online. These records indicate how the country has revealed itself to them, and changed the way they view life, as well as the country. Abraham and Llamas hope that The Nomadic Project will bring excitement and inspiration to all those who call this land their home.

For more information and interview opportunities, please contact Alfonso Llamas at e-mail address TheNomadicProject@gmail.com. To learn more about Aiken Center for the Art’s participation, contact Kristin Brown at 803.641.9094 ext. 208.