Akiane Kramarik's impressive resume includes paintings that sell for up to $1 million, guest appearances on Oprah, CNN, and Good Morning America, and two bestselling books, "Akiane: Her Life, Her Art, Her Poetry" and "My Dream Is Bigger Than I - Memories of Tomorrow", so most people are surprised to find out Akiane is a child.

Akiane has been drawing since age four, painting since age six, and writing poetry since age seven. She has been featured in the United States, Canada, Singapore and England, and she is a member of both the Kids' Hall of Fame and the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children.

What makes Akiane different from other children? How did she get started? She says the difference is visions from God. She wasn't born into a religious family, but as a small child, these "visions from God" began appearing in her mind. At first, she told no one. Instead, she drew what she saw.

Akiane saw visions, but she also believes she's part of them as if she's able to consciously be in two places at one time. She once told her mother that this was her reasoning behind the painting "Eternity". It's an experience she calls "shared self" because the visions of other places are so realistic to her.

Inspiration can be found all around Akiane. When she touches the fur of an animal, smells a flower, or sees how things look differently in changing lights, she finds the inspiration to paint or write what she sees and how it makes her feel. Textures of life can be seen in paint through her work.

To tell someone to "stop and smell the roses" is, of course, clich, but it's exactly what Akiane Kramarik encourages people to do. She sees beauty everywhere and uses her talents to polish it for others to see in the same light, so she wants others to concentrate on doing the same. Anyone can learn to do this through their own talents whether it be art, writing, or music.

Each of Akiane's paintings is unique. Each has a story to tell and a purpose for being shared. When she painted "Hand of Destiny", she wanted people to see the need for choosing their own destinies by showing a left hand grasping destiny and a right hand helplessly grasping at nothing. In "The Quantum World", she paints a small piece of WHAT she sees in the world around her, but she does so in many dimensions to show HOW she sees.

To Akiane, every color has meaning. White means truth, pink means trust, and black means suffering. Each stroke of each painting, and each word of each poem carries deep meaning beyond what many of us have ever thought. Akiane encourages the world around her to see beyond the obvious and find the hidden beauty within.

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