Art

Item Description

From Kristin Llamas:

The "Amarantos" is the name of a several-century-old popular Greek folk song:
Look at the amaranth:
on tall mountains it grows,
on the very stones and rocks
and places inaccessible.

Born December 16, 1982, Rochester, New York

Kristin Llamas is a painter and installation artist whose work is guided by collaboration and community engagement. Her paintings combine realism with abstract backgrounds, sewn canvas seams and mirror-written words. Elements within the work hold significant meaning, as this symbolism is meant to create a visual dialogue with the viewer. Llamas’ inspiration stems from engaging the community by hosting symposiums and creating partnerships. She works collaboratively on installation work ranging from small gallery pieces to city-wide installations with husband, Alfonso Llamas. The artist couple together makes up the husband and wife artist team, AK Llamas (www.AKLlamas.com). Together, they use the recurring theme of an Amaranth flower- Greek symbolism for the “never fading flower.”

The AK Llamas’ collaboration began in 2003  with a series coined The Nomadic Project. The couple toured America for 13 months, engaging individuals and art institutions in all fifty states. This series propelled the artist to create and exhibit work around the entire nation. Very early in their careers they exhibited in venues such as the Whistler Museum near Boston, the Ramsay Museum in Honolulu and the Taube Museum in Minot.

In 2008, Kristin and Alfonso have made middle TN their home, developing a studio and raising a family just southeast of Nashville. They have created large scale installation work with the Tennessee State Museum where one of Kristin’s paintings resides in their permanent collection. AK Llamas is the founder of an international art movement called The YOUnite Tour, which spans 56 countries. Their installation work was selected for the Nashville International Airport and exhibited throughout Paris, Rome and Switzerland. They have spoken and presented around the United States including a presentation with TEDx Nashville.

Kristin’s paintings and AK Llamas collaborations have been frequently written about in publications such as the Salt Lake Tribune, The Alexandria TImes, Nashville Arts Magazine and the Tennessean. The artist is currently under representation with Tinney Contemporary Gallery in Nashville.