At just eight years old, Akiane Kramarik painted “Prince of Peace,” an image of Jesus inspired by what she called a recurring “visionary inspiration” and a “profound role model for humanity.” When she appeared on The Oprah Show at nine, Oprah asked, “You’re obviously gifted. Where does this come from?” Akiane replied, “It comes from God.” She later explained, “Because I can hear His voice. His voice is quiet and beautiful.”

Although her family was not religious, her mother, Forelli Kramarik, said, “It wasn’t just art that was happening. Simultaneous with art was a spiritual awakening.” There had been “no discussion about God,” yet Akiane spoke in detail about faith and love. She said her visions were too “complex to describe through words so I painted.”

Searching for a model, she recalled, “I always think about Jesus and talk about Him…when I couldn’t find anyone, one day I suggested to my family to pray all day for this model.” Soon after, a tall carpenter knocked on their door looking for work. “I told my mother that that was him. I want him to be my model,” she said.

The completed painting gained attention but was stolen en route to an exhibition. It was later returned damaged, then mistakenly sold due to a clerical error. After losing a court battle, the artwork was kept under a dark stairwell for years while Akiane continued creating and sharing her message worldwide.

In 2019, “Prince of Peace” resurfaced and sold for $850,000 to an anonymous family who see themselves as “the stewards for the original.” Reunited with her masterpiece after nearly two decades, Akiane said, “It was amazing to me. To be able to see this into the light again, after so many years.” She added, “Love is so powerful. It will always show up on time to people who need it most.”