Nearly a decade ago, Kevin found a book in his friend’s apartment called Akiane: Her Life, Her Art, Her Poetry. Reading the miraculous story of a young girl who painted the face of Jesus, Kevin was immediately hooked. He had spent much of his youth curious about God’s supernatural mysteries but felt he lacked access to or knowledge about them. For Kevin, Akiane’s story was proof – evidence of the gospel and the existence of Jesus Christ – and he purchased several copies of her book to give to people as gifts, even leaving one in a coffee shop during a trip to Scotland.

Years later, working as an English teacher, Kevin shared Akiane’s artwork in his classroom. He talked about Akiane’s story with his students, expressing the mystery of God’s miracles displayed in someone around the same age as them. His students responded in awe.

When Kevin heard that some of Akiane’s paintings had been made available for the public to see, he was floored. “I never thought I’d see her work in person,” he shared as he walked through the front doors of Belóved Gallery. Kevin began taking in each masterpiece, slowly walking around the exhibition until he reached the Prince of Peace room.

“From a distance, it reflects the majesty of Jesus,” Kevin shared, describing how he had seen the image in books and online. “But when you get close, you can see the suffering. The paint she used – the texture and color has a broken look. It makes me think about the suffering of the cross. The Bible says Jesus was a man of many sorrows and One acquainted with grief. Akiane truly captured the pain that Jesus endured during his life.”