Akiane Kramarik (; born July 9, 1994) is an American poet and painter. She began drawing at the age of four. Kramarik's best-known painting is Prince of Peace, which she completed at the age of eight.
Early life
Akiane Kramarik was born on July 9, 1994, in Mount Morris, Illinois, to a Lithuanian mother and a non-practicing Catholic American father. Kramarik professed she saw the face of Jesus Christ in her visions. Her education began at a parochial school, but she was later homeschooled.
Paintings
Kramarik is a self-taught painter and says that Jesus spoke to her when she was four years old, encouraging her to draw and paint her visions. She began to draw at the age of four, was painting at six, and began to write poetry at seven. At the age of eight years old, Akiane painted Jesus. Her first completed self-portrait sold for US$10,000. By age 12, she had completed sixty large paintings. Some of her works have been purchased by the US Embassy in Singapore. She appeared in the 68th episode of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson in 2005 and the 21st episode of Katie in 2012.
Prince of Peace
Kramarik has said Prince of Peace is her "favorite portrait" and one of her most memorable paintings. In December 2019, Prince of Peace was recovered by the artist's family and sold to a private collector for $850,000.
Bibliography
- Akiane: Her Life, Her Art, Her Poetry, W Publishing Group 2006
- Akiane: My Dream is Bigger Than I: Memories of Tomorrow Artakiane.llc 2006