Discovering More of Akiane’s Story and Paintings at the Turn of the New Year 2020

Ethereal, heavenly, mystical – the paintings of Akiane Kramarik (pronounced as Ah-kee-ah-na) which are of human faces, animals, nature, heaven, the galaxies and space direct the hearts and souls of their viewers to look beyond this world to see other worlds, other dimensions in heaven, space, and other galaxies. They also direct the viewer to behold and contemplate beauty, worlds beyond this world, and to look closely at the human condition to find layers of meaning in the images that she paints.

Akiane Kramarik, born in 1994 in Mount Morris, Illinois of a Lithuanian mother and an American non-practicing Catholic father, had visions of heaven and Jesus at the age of four. Akiane was a child art prodigy who at the age of 8 painted “The Prince of Peace”, a portrait of Jesus confirmed by Colton Burpo of Heaven is for Real as the one that closely resembles the real face of Jesus whose eyes speak to each soul that beholds the painting.

I have long known and cherished this portrait of Jesus, and during the Christmas vacation just before the New Year, I searched and discovered more about Akiane’s story and paintings as I searched for her works online and watched a few of the Youtube videos of her interviews and her short films on her own paintings.

Akiane’s paintings elevate the mind, heart, and soul with the purity and beauty they exude. They are images that make the viewers wonder, contemplate, and empathize; images that make their viewers see and experience other dimensions, other worlds beyond this present world – and thus, are images that uplift the soul and give hope and refreshment to a wearied soul in this sin-marred world. Her paintings have the power to move, delight, and contemplate meanings and experiences about human existence and the cosmos – that is, for anyone who is earnestly searching for the truth, for meaning, for beauty, and for what lies beyond this world. And yes, these could be the reason why God has obviously gifted the art prodigy who is Akiane Kramarik with such an exceptional gift for the art, particularly on painting. The colors, the elements of the composition, and the very images in the paintings call out for greater and higher sensitivity, feelings, humanity, and spirituality from the viewers and patronizers of her paintings.

Her paintings of heaven were from her vision of heaven and Jesus at the age of four. During that age, she had visions of heaven which she said in one of her interviews was indescribable, with millions of colors not found on earth – revealing that there is a far better, far more beautiful world than the one which we presently have which is cursed and marred by sin. The idea of a far more beautiful and a perfect divine world gives us hope amidst the sufferings and trials of this present life.

Akiane not just painted heaven, but also animals, nature, trees during autumn and in deep snow, human faces, and one of my favorites among her paintings is a garden. “The Garden” is an oasis in the journey of life, like a time of intimacy with God, or a time of fellowship with a friend or loved ones.

Akiane is not just a painter but also a poet and a philanthropist. She gives part of the sales from her paintings to charitable institutions to feed and educate hungry and poor children in other parts of the world. She has a school of the arts for children, and has short films about her paintings. For more information, visit the official website of Akiane at www.akiane.com and watch some of the Youtube videos about her and her paintings.