The famous painter, Akiane’s (born in 1994) parents lived a simple and hard life in the U.S. Her father is from Chicago, her mother emigrated from Lithuania. Akiane was born at home without any medical help. Her two elder brothers were born the same way. Simplicity and the difficulties were compensated by the charity and acceptance of the family. The conflicts of the environment, diseases, lack of money did not only make the family extra sensitive, but they got an internal vision as well. As Akiane grew up, the circumstances of her family started to change. Her mother started to have success in business and her father recovered from a disease. They moved next to nature where the whole family could live in a higher comfort. Akiane said they could cycle the first time in their life, do fishing in their own lake and had their own swimming pool; they made their own music and own food. There were no friends in the vicinity, but Akiane had her brother as her best friend and her parents were her best role models. Akiane started to have visions at the age of 4 which she could only share the best with her mother. Although her mother was an atheist, she listened to her daughter carefully and started to believe in the things Akiane experienced – the birth of a new world. The best proof of these visions was that Akiane drew them, last but least “her own angel”. Akiane became famous at the age of 8 when many famous persons introduced her and her painting, including one of her most famous one called the “Prince of Peace”
In this article, I would like to introduce a totally different Akiane, both as an artist and a messenger. I believe that “this picture” is much more important than anything else published about her, the way they know her and how her artworks are interpreted. In reality, those are not the creation of the Prince of Peace and other paintings that make Akiane excellent and authentic, or the fact that she was accepted by various famous people and she became known worldwide through it. Her authenticity comes from her life, which comes through in her art in an authentic way. She was able to surpass the painting called “Prince of Peace” and she was able to recognize the fact by creating, releasing and restarting – remaking not only her technique and skills become more and more sophisticated, but life – God wants to manifest through her. She does not stand in the way what wants to manifest through her. Her life, past, present, family, artworks, successes, failures and the struggles of mankind are present at the same time and by surpassing them, she is able to express herself all the time. Akiane is publishing short films how a painting was made and the process itself. This process and the whole film may be more valuable for those interested in more than just a single painting but “want to see full authenticity”, the way a divine work comes to exist. Every artwork that is in connection with the divine manifestation goes through transformation. However, the artist and an authentic arts fan go through such transformation. When looking at all her paintings created since her childhood and I had to choose which one represents in the most authentic way Akiane as a human being, an artist, a “visionary” or someone bringing things into art that do not only surpass the artists of an era, but stand as a lighthouse at the port of arts; this painting is called The Messenger.
When looking at the painting carefully, it can be seen very well that the elements of nature, e.g. rocks, the way they take shape and exist, are lifelike. The persistent power of time to create things can be seen on the rocks and simultaneously, its power to devastate is visible on the ice. The representation of sensitivity for birth and death can be seen through surpassing these two elements when that short video on the creation of that painting starts. The painting has two important symbols: an Indian sitting on a horse and an eagle. These elements are connected to the country where Akiane lives, the United States of America. The symbols are strongly connected in time and space, making Akiane’s “visionary-artistic” power of expression. The film shows how sensitively The Messenger in Akiane’s vision in the most authentic way and she arrives at an authentic messenger without knowing in the beginning what should be delivered to all of us.
Akiane’s greatness is continuously strengthened by the way she presents the symbol of the messenger at that moment such as the snowy owl. As soon as the snowy owl and the rocks standing still in the background started to take shape on the canvas, a nest including eggs appeared in Akiane’s vision. Akiane took the power to create in the physical world as well as when the power of now calls us to change. To release everything what she created with great care and expertise. This way the snowy owl disappears from the canvas and the opportunity for the birth of a messenger appears. However, the nest and the eggs disappear when Akiane becomes the messenger for us even if the “real messenger” is not present on the canvas. Her art and authenticity continuously sends messages to us.
Then a moose appears on the canvas; it has the biggest body size in the category of deer just like the snowy owl in the owl family. These animals are strongly connected to the American and Slavic nature and they are “spiritual symbols” as well. While Akiane is creating the moose with great care, it turns out of the film that it cannot be the messenger, because she herself is also looking for safety and guidance. Akiane’s “spiritual clarity and visionary skills” release the moose that was painted with great care and details on the canvas. Then two bald eagles appear, while Akiane is relying continuously on her inner voice. The inner voice in which the truth and trust towards the unknown appears. The inner voice that endows all that intends to appear in the world with beauty, power and wisdom.
When another week passed, a wolf appeared on the canvas and a cry of the wolf in the film. Akiane’s inner voice came to exist in the film as well, and the past and the present were joined. While Akiane was painting the wolf authentically, she doubted that the wolf would be the messenger. But why would she not paint the wolf if it wanted to appear? As the echo of the wolf disappeared, the wolf disappeared as well from the canvas. (Akiane, besides painting for us, told us that we should not be afraid of anything that intends to take shape and we should not have fears to release it. We should be able to play as humans on the canvas of life without worrying about any outer and inner echo that is not an authentic messenger.)Then she understood that the lake on the canvas had to be frozen, as she said, quickly. She could express more authentically in the film compared to the painting that the lake that was turned suddenly to ice was a process.
Experiencing this process in ourselves is probably more important than just looking at the painting. An authentic arts fan can also understand that no matter how perfect a painting is and how attractive it is for the watchers, the real message always comes to life through our own inner voice. The painting is only a connection to our real inner messenger. It is only this time when the real value of a masterpiece only comes to existence. Akiane’s clarity really starts to be visible when she admits that she thought in the very beginning that there would be no human being on this canvas. But she was wrong! When can someone really emerge? When he/she admits something; admits to have been wrong. Despite any expectations, the human being and his faithful horse appeared; they lost their way and became captivated in a cave. It turns out of the story that the lake had to freeze so that the traveler could get out. Akiane’ message is that every difficulty happening to us is to relieve us. In most cases, we understand such a message later. The traveler wants to get home, but the ice is very thin at some places. Then a loud call can be heard beside the echo. It comes from the same eagle that has been circling on the canvas for a while. It calls the lost traveler to follow him bravely.
By the end of the film, we understand that the real messenger was the eagle itself and who Akiane is in reality and what kind of message she as an authentic artist has for every one of us.
