Akiane Kramarik

(Sally Lee for Daily Mail Australia. Art Prodigy D ())

"Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not powers they are graced with." Brodi Ashton argues that heroism is a path one creates from events in their life, while emphasizing that our heroes must be chosen for their life, not for their power/fame. Depending on the path one chooses to take, becoming a hero can be simple or difficult.   No matter how famous a person might be, you have to ask did they do something that changed the common belief. A hero is a person that is willing to defy society by standing firm in his/her faith to inspire others.  Akiane Kramarik, a childhood prodigy, created her own paths to heroism when she chose to be a follower of Christ.  Born in mid-July of 1994, Akiane found herself drawn to the creative and adventurous side of life.   She began her expedition in art and faith at four years old when she saw heaven in the form of visions.  Her explorations included the inside of her originally atheistic home in Mount Morris, Illinois with her two older brothers and her parents by her side.  As a child, Akiane and her family found themselves locked away inside their house due to assault/death threats ("Her Art, Her Poetry, Her Life").  These threats that her family endured came from the small, highly religious community that surrounded their home. However, these threats didn't stop Akiane from becoming an inspirational artist to the people around her. Her actions demonstrate that a hero must possess the ability to be successful through tough times, devotion in their work even if others doubt them or judge them. Heroes must inspire others to become better than what they are (to take action in times of calling). According to the research, Akiane Kramarik is a hero due to her successes/accomplishments, strong devotion to Christ through faith, and inspirational paintings that inspired many young people across the globe to defy society's belief in the abilities of young artists.

(?Child Prodigy Akiane Kramarik Paintings - Officia ())

Akiane's many accomplishments throughout her young life provided her with a strong stance in the art world.  In the first few years of her life Akiane set out on a mission to be successful so that she could inspire others.  An interviewer stated, "Akiane said her goal in life is 'to bring people closer together through art.' Her art has certainly accomplished that on many levels" ("Akiane Speaks of Heaven and Paintings").  The interviewer implies that she has reached her goal.  Part of her success can be seen in the world today through her art, in interviews, and in the movie "Heaven is For Real." Patrick Perry states that, "With fame often comes fortune. For Akiane, it represents a chance to give back ... the young artist says. 'I want to help people. When I help people, I feel happier'" (Perry).  As Perry describes, Akiane's actions show part of the foundation of her heroism. Her success in her work allowed her to give her knowledge to others.  Akiane's advanced abilities in the art world became a challenge for her as others believed her to be someone much older than what she was.  Oprah Winfrey states, "Without knowing her remarkable story, anyone would believe that an artist with a vast amount of experience and years of practice, and not a young child, had painted these works" ("When Oprah Asked Akiane Where Her Talent Originated...").  Given that Akiane was already successful in her artwork, it was easy to mistake her craftsmanship for some with "years of experience." This statement also shows her heroism through her humbleness which enabled her to enlighten her audience. Through her attitude towards her work, Akiane proves that success is one of the many paths to heroism.

 Next, Akiane's foundational beliefs in Christ as well as her devotion to Christianity are her driving force for why she writes and paints.   At the start of her journey, Akiane had many confusing visions which lead her to her first bundle of sketches.  She states, "'I was four when the visions first began,' ... 'I had visions and dreams of being an artist and helping the whole world. I felt inspired to draw'" (Perry).  Perry claims that she was beginning to feel a sense of purpose, that helping others to understand Christ is her driving force.  Also, Perry mentions that her career started at an extremely young age, causing her to become a childhood prodigy. Later Akiane decided that she needed to become a teacher to others so they could share her connections to art and Christ.  She states in this interview, "For a true artist, life is a real academy. I am always both a student and a teacher. I have been teaching art to children since the age of eight. Now I am a co-founder of Akiane Arts School at Foreli Academy, where we are now enrolling students. As a student of life, I am challenged every day to experiment and to explore the unknown territories" ("Akiane Speaks of Heaven and Paintings.").  Akiane mentions that she felt a desire to teach others about her work and how it connected to Christianity.  Through her desire to teach, she shows how deep of a connection she has to Christ and His word. These traits also helped her to prevail in times of difficulties.  "The painting was delivered in a bent crate full of sawdust. "My goodness!  He looks just like after the Crucifixion. It took me forty hours to paint this painting and seventy hours to paint Father Forgive Them."  Miraculously she was able to lift all the embedded sawdust from the surface..." ("Her Art, Her Poetry, Her Life." pg. 29).  In this quote, Mrs. Kramarik mentions that one of her daughters most prized paintings came back to her damaged by sawdust.  Even though Akiane was devastated by this, she pushed herself to stay calm. This quote describes her heroism through faith when Akiane chose to stay calm and positive through a tough moment in time.  Finally, Akiane's faith in her work and in the word of God proves that she stands true to her heroic traits.  

(?Child Prodigy Akiane Kramarik Paintings - Officia ())

Through her artistic abilities Akiane influenced others to change.  Each time she appeared in interviews, she was asked to describe where her ideas came from. "Akiane says the revelations given to her by God, together with her talent, helped her to create her wonderful paintings of Jesus, Heaven and the cosmos. Akiane often shares with others that anyone with amazing talent is also gifted by God to bring light and love to the world." ("When Oprah Asked Akiane Where Her Talent Originated...").  Here, the author described her paintings to be striking enough to influence the people watching Akiane's interview, showing them that faith can be inspirational. "Her hyperrealist paintings are so powerful that they converted her atheist parents to Christians. Kramarik, who was homeschooled and is a self-taught painter, has created works that have been inspired by visions from God--a figure she had never known in (or outside of) her home" ("Blessed or Cursed? Child Prodigies Reveal All"). Not only did Akiane's work influence others, she was able to change the mindset of her own parents. The author describes the emotional value of Akiane's work and how it changed the ways of her parents.  During her early years, Akiane shared her visions through spoken stories and poems that were confusing but realistic.  Her mother states, "We no longer suspected she was imagining such events, because she had never fantasized like other children her age. and the sense that she spent more time away in the spiritual world than with her own family was hard to ignore.  Sometimes she sounded like an older woman. it scared us and inspired us at the same time" ("Her Art, Her Poetry, Her Life" pg. 12).  According to Akiane's mother, Akiane's abilities in her work were the factor that inspired her family to reconsider their faith in Christ.  Not only does this quote describe her abilities, it shows that her faith and success as an artist shocked the art world causing others around her to build roots in their faith. Finally, Akiane's influence on the world today inspired many artists to become devoted to their work. 

Akiane is a hero to the art and religious worlds through her strong abilities in her work, her faith, and her empowerment to influence others.  To this day, Akiane uses her skills to motivate fellow artists to walk in the way of faith. Her powerful works of art, and the idea that the majority of them were completed at a young age, inspired me to believe in myself and in my work as an artist.  Akiane's devotion to Christ also inspired me to reconsider how strong my own faith is. As Akiane once said, "I cannot stop holding my brush/ On the blank canvas I sign/ With blindfold balance/ Blue is the color of the mind/ Do God's footprints follow his footsteps/ Nobody hears what I see/ We cannot trespass our creator/ My sight cannot wait for me" ("Her Art, Her Poetry, Her Life").

"Akiane: Her Art, Her Poetry, Her Life." Publishers Weekly, 17 Oct. 2005, p. 56. Biography in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A138226159/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=cd0e3c33. Accessed 28 Apr. 2017.

"Blessed or Cursed? Child Prodigies Reveal All." Daily Beast, 17 Nov. 2014. Student Resources in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A430336809/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=4e12c444. Accessed 28 Apr. 2017.

"Brodi Ashton Quote" Brodi Ashton Quotes, Quotefancy, 2017, quotefancy.com/quote/9665/Brodi-Ashton-Heroes-are-made-by-the-paths-they-choose-not-the-powers-they-are-graced-with. Accessed 11 May 2017.

"Child Prodigy Akiane Kramarik Paintings - Official Art Gallery." Art & SoulWorks, art-soulworks.com/pages/akiane-art-gallery. Accessed 17 May 2017.

"Interview: Akiane Speaks of Heaven and Paintings." The Washington Times, The Washington Times, 31 Dec. 2014, www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/interview-akiane-speaks-heaven-and-paintings/. Accessed 4 May 2017.

Perry, Patrick. "Akiane Kramarik: interview with an 11-year-old prodigy." Children's Digest, May-June 2006, p. 20+. Student Resources in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A145472523/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=c44f2d61. Accessed 28 Apr. 2017.

Sally Lee for Daily Mail Australia. "Art Prodigy Discovered by Oprah at Just Eight Now Sells Her Paintings for Millions of Dollars... and She's Still Only 20." Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 30 Jan. 2015, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2932476/Art-prodigy-discovered-Oprah-just-eight-years-age-moved-sells-paintings-millions-dollars-s-20.html. Accessed 16 May 2017.

"When Oprah Asked Akiane Where Her Talent Originated, Her Answered Endeared Her To The World." Art & SoulWorks, Carol Corneliuson, 8 Oct. 2016, art-soulworks.com/blogs/posts/98897030-when-oprah-asked-akiane-where-her-talent-originated-her-answered-endeared-her-to-the-world. Accessed 4 May 2017.

Daily Mail

Akiane Kramarik's YouTube

"Around that time, Akiane began sketching figures and portraits, sitting for hours drawing, erasing and shading features. Her home was filled with sketches of angels, family, friends, and faces she "saw" in her dreams--incredibly detailed, highly skilled art completed without the aid of an outside instructor." (Perry)

"I am self-taught," admits the artist, adding. "God is my teacher. I get up at 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning so I can start painting when the house is still silent and before my three brothers get up." (Perry)