This Is My Life
A Portrait of Passion and Dedication
Dear Friend,
Step beyond the canvas as Akiane Kramarik shares the inspiration and meaning of the masterpieces featured in Akiane: The Early Years at Belóved Gallery.
In this episode of Beyond the Brush, discover the story behind This Is My Life. Drawing from her own experiences with ballet, Akiane was struck by the dancers’ unwavering devotion—the hours of practice, concentration, and commitment they brought to their craft. She recognized the same dedication in the ballerinas she felt toward painting.
The connection between perseverance and creation comes to life as a young ballerina carefully fastens her pointe shoes. For Akiane, the two ribbons carry a deeper meaning:
"…she is precisely fastening the ribbon of dedication and the ribbon of passion. And if she fastens them tightly, then she can dance her most beautiful and graceful."
This is My Life connects the ballerina’s carefully fastened ribbons with her ability to perform at her best. By painting the dancer life-size, Akiane invites viewers into her practice of concentration and devotion to her art, reminding us that when we give our all to what we love, we create beauty that can touch the world.
Whether you’ve seen This Is My Life before or are discovering it for the first time, we invite you to experience the original painting on a free guided tour of Akiane: The Early Years.
Continue exploring Akiane’s early work through our previous Beyond the Brush episodes, where Akiane shares the inspiration and meaning behind Penguin, Symphony, and The Relic.
Next in the series, Akiane shares the story behind Journey.
We await your arrival,
Team Belóved