"Prince of Peace".... my avatar by Akiane Kramarik

[Rella ~ I am a woman]

Had a hard time figuring where this should go, so if I chose wrong... please move it someone.

There is a story behind the avatar I am using and thought I would share it because I came to know about this very talented artist though a movie ( A real story) I saw a which a had nothing to do with her.

In that movie....toward the end when Akiane's painting was shown (and a young boy identified it having never heard of Akiane) I went looking into all about her. I just want to share some things about her.

The title of the painting is "Prince of Peace" by Chicago-area prodigy Akiane Kramarik who made a name for herself in the art world at just 8 years old when her painting of Jesus launched her career.

A self-taught artist who paints what she is inspired to paint.

Akiane Kramarik’s atheist parents were surprised when their three-year-old began to describe dreams and visions from God. This inexplicable direction in their daughter’s life, combined with a remarkable talent in art and poetry, inspired her family to re-examine their own lives.

My Encounter With God: Akiane Kramarik - RevWords

An Encounter With God​

“My life began in an unusual way,” says Akiane, 17, who spent her early years in rural Illinois. By unusual, she refers to her underwater birth in “a shack” on the edge of a cornfield. “Our family had no money, no friends, no relatives, no television or radio. Our life was quite simple — long walks in nature, open conversations, and hands on explorations of knowledge,” she says.
Her mother, Forelli, is a Lithuanian immigrant educator. Akiane’s father, Mark, is a chef from Chicago with a Catholic background. In her early family life, there was no prayer, no discussions of God, and no visits to church.
Yet in the atheistic environment her parents created – free from media influences or even outside babysitters – Akiane suddenly began to talk about God.

The Face of Jesus​

She spoke of colorful dreams and visions about heaven, Jesus, and God’s amazing love. Her stunned parents realized her intense focus on God could not have been inspired by anything in the world they created for her. Indeed, Akiane seemed to be having supernatural encounters with the living God.
“Most of my spiritual experiences I kept secret, so as not to overwhelm my parents,” she says. “When I was four years old, suddenly I started experiencing vivid impressions about different dimensions and a great desire to express them through art,” she says.
At eight-years-old, Akiane decided she wanted to paint the face of Jesus, based on the visions she received.

A Discovery of God​

Akiane’s painting of Jesus was a painstaking effort. “The ‘Prince of Peace’ took me 40 hours to paint and another 20 hours of working with model sketching,” Akiane says. She deftly works with light and shadows to create powerful impressions. “The light side of his face represents the truth, the dark side represents suffering,” she notes.
Akiane’s discovery of God seems remarkably personal. “Since nobody told me who God was, I found God myself. He’s been there for me through the years. I don’t belong to any denomination or religion. I belong to God.”
To eliminate any confusion, however, Jesus is first in her mind. “He is the only way to God — the only way to heaven and joy,” she states. “My personal views on Jesus have only matured and deepened since age 4. As I grow I see how vast and unlimited His love is.”

Jesus’ Glory​

“Jesus remains my highest authority, love, and God. I pray every day that people will one day follow Jesus, His teachings and feel His love.”
“I alone know how important Jesus is for me. Instead of writing it is best for me to express (this) through my personal connection — art. I portray Jesus how I see him, as human and as divine.
“My art is only a representation of what I see — Jesus’ glory is beyond any description!”

And thus when the young 5 year old boy, who had suffered a burst appendix, and had his own encounter with Jesus... (Scoffers, be gone) sat on his dad's lap as they were watching morning news and the picture of Prince of Peace was on the screen he said said as clear as day...

"That's Him" and dad asked who... And the simple answer was "That's Jesus"

Believers or not... you would enjoy seeing what else this young girl painted and learning more about her.

THIS is a larger picture of Prince of Peace.... An inspired painting by an 8 year old girl.

 

[L.A.M.B.]

Wow Rella.
Thank you for sharing.
God is still God and touches whom he chooses with the awesome gifts of prodigy or inspiration to share himself with the world.
I'm sure many have viewed her art and it has caused them to undertake a journey of discovering the " Man" of the art work she has done!

 

[L.A.M.B.]

I'm reminded of what Pilate said unto the Jews after Jesus had been beaten and mocked,
"BEHOLD THE MAN"!