11 year old art prodigy

[sophia8]

Akiane

An internationally recognized 11-year-old prodigy, considered the only known child binary genius, in both realist painting and poetry.

She's immensely skilled and talented for one so young. But I feel sorry for her - her family sound like the worst sort of New Agers (she's an Indigo Child!)
And her pictures, although very well executed and composed, are nearly all the same sort of gluitinously 'spiritual' fantasy art that you see on loads of New Age websites (dolphins, kids, stallions, Jesus). The few drawings and paintings she's done from life look show great promise, but I doubt she'll ever be allowed to extend her range in that direction.
Heck, her fans are paying up to $700,000 for pictures of Jesus, heaven and dolphins! Would they shell out that kind of dough for pictures of real people and real life?

 

[TragicMonkey]

Talent, yes. But art is more than talent, it requires using that talent to express something meaningful. Frankly, most of her stuff looked like it ought to be on black velvet or airbrushed onto sweatshirts. Technically good, but empty.

But then again, at age 11, what message does she have to convey? With luck, she'll develop a voice to go along with her skill as she matures.

 

[sophia8]

Talent, yes. But art is more than talent, it requires using that talent to express something meaningful. Frankly, most of her stuff looked like it ought to be on black velvet or airbrushed onto sweatshirts. Technically good, but empty.
But then again, at age 11, what message does she have to convey? With luck, she'll develop a voice to go along with her skill as she matures.

That's my hope as well. But I can't see her family letting her 'voice' anything but the same vapid, religious, money-spinning stuff she's turning out now.
However, she's only 11 - she's still got time to turn into the artistic equivalent of Drew Barrymore.

 

[TragicMonkey]

That's my hope as well. But I can't see her family letting her 'voice' anything but the same vapid, religious, money-spinning stuff she's turning out now.

Which will just make her teenage rebellion all the more cataclysmic, and it will be expressed in her art. The nicest thing about real talent is that the more you try to suppress it, the stronger it's going to burst out in all kinds of directions.

Ten bucks says that in five years, she'll be putting her artistic skills to work on the sort of pictures that would shock her parents to death. Gloomy adolescent works with skulls and demons, or seductive angels, or, worst of all, Harry Potter fanfic illustrations!

 

[Dogdoctor]

I like her artwork but it seems a little too mystical for my taste. Her poetry is way too mystical for my taste. Overall though quite talented.
If you read her bio it says her father was an atheist and she had a religious revelation at age 4 converting the entire family to Christians. Hmmmm...that is disturbing to read.

 

[Kopji]

A kind of sad thing is that she does all this work and still can't accept it is her own talent, or something integral to herself. Gotta be some outside thing that takes all the credit.

I pray and wait for an answer in pictures, words or ideas. When I have a picture in my mind, then I think for a while how I can put it on the canvas. If it is a portrait, I search for a model or study many people wherever I go. If it is a landscape, or an animal I research the resources or work straight from my memory and imagination. For example, when I was flying on the airplane I decided to paint birds above the islands. Then I studied how islands and birds had to look correctly from above. Since one of my favorite birds are swans, I studied hundreds of them sketching them in different positions. I often go to the library. garden or farm to study animals and plants. I enjoy observing for myself the behavior of wildlife in the nature. By the lake or river we see many eagles, ospreys, and swans. I watch them move, fly, land or play. Then I observe the shadows and the light on their bodies and take many pictures or sketch.

But it is all God after all, nothing she's doing of herself.

Good day for a birthday though.

 

[Corpse Cruncher]

Talent, yes. But art is more than talent, it requires using that talent to express something meaningful. Frankly, most of her stuff looked like it ought to be on black velvet or airbrushed onto sweatshirts. Technically good, but empty.

But then again, at age 11, what message does she have to convey? With luck, she'll develop a voice to go along with her skill as she matures.

I agree the art, not that I am artistic, appears dead. There is no spark, warmth or whatever it is that is present in some art forms. Flat art is about as descriptive as I can be here. For me true art, like music, has a soul. By soul I mean a spark of fire emanating from it. Her art does not have it. The lion, a beautiful creature, is lifeless and dull. Here own self portrait is devoid of soul. If that was her intention she has succeeded. Personally thinking she is good at art, is she a prodigy, no. a prodigy captures everything simultaneously. She fails on the one essential ingredient required, that spark of fire.

I took a minute to realise something that I should have noticed. Akiane, herself, her own photograph is also flat. Her eyes have no spark of fire. It is an empty pose, like that of an empty husk. The same look that is often seen in people, couples, who are going through the motions of life. I might be wrong but to me that seems to say; she does not enjoy what she does she is forced/forcing her art?

 

[Darat]

I agree with TM. There are signs of a very good eye and she is certainly very skilled technically for someone of her age but the final product at this time is sub-par. The artistic equivalent of muzak.

 

[sistathinker]

She's good. But so was Danny Bonaduce and I dare anyone to argue with me that Gary Coleman wasn't a brilliant child. True, none painters, but talented for their age at their artistic pursuit.

Call me after she's been exposed to good criticism and better teaching and gotten some life experience. 10 or 12 years, I want to see what she's doing then.

 

[Jas]

It looks like it should be on collectible plates.

That being said, hopefully she starts producing something interesting.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Talent, yes. But art is more than talent, it requires using that talent to express something meaningful. Frankly, most of her stuff looked like it ought to be on black velvet or airbrushed onto sweatshirts. Technically good, but empty.

That's what I was thinking. I was looking for an Elvis or some dogs playing poker. Artistically, it's ghastly.

 

[kittynh]

I wonder if Thomas Kincaide started out this way....

geez that is like CRAP

 

[SirPhilip]

She's immensely skilled and talented for one so young. But I feel sorry for her - her family sound like the worst sort of New Agers (she's an Indigo Child!)

When I saw this site I immediately had a lump in my throat, and I couldn't help but be reminded of Chapter 1 of Malignant Self-Love: Narcissism Revisited. So much self-indulgent crap that represents little more than the (ab)use of a child as a way to boost a parent's self-worth.

 

[SirPhilip]

I agree the art, not that I am artistic, appears dead. There is no spark, warmth or whatever it is that is present in some art forms. Flat art is about as descriptive as I can be here. For me true art, like music, has a soul. By soul I mean a spark of fire emanating from it. Her art does not have it. The lion, a beautiful creature, is lifeless and dull. Here own self portrait is devoid of soul. If that was her intention she has succeeded. Personally thinking she is good at art, is she a prodigy, no. a prodigy captures everything simultaneously. She fails on the one essential ingredient required, that spark of fire. I took a minute to realise something that I should have noticed. Akiane, herself, her own photograph is also flat. Her eyes have no spark of fire. It is an empty pose, like that of an empty husk. The same look that is often seen in people, couples, who are going through the motions of life. I might be wrong but to me that seems to say; she does not enjoy what she does she is forced/forcing her art?

Apt observation. Yeah, it's called child abuse. The irony is, this type of objectification often kills a child's "soul" or individuality before it ever develops, and you end up with a ludicrous caricature of a healthy human being that has no self-sustaining worth, or can empathise with others, much less create enduring, relatable and powerful art.

 

[SirPhilip]

I just caught this, under "Her Life":

"Born underwater at home, on July 9, 1994, in Mount Morris, Illinois, to the atheistic stay-at-home Lithuanian homemaker mother, and an American father, culinary arts instructor, chef and dietary manager."

I'm sure her mother is flattered..

 

[EatatJoes]

Oh for crying out loud people! The child is 11. I remember being 11 and always wanting those Lisa Frank folders and notebooks because of the artwork. She's painting what she wants to paint. I think the pictures are beautiful. The lion was amazing considering she did it when she was 8. She may be an artistic genius but emotionally she's just 11. Her art reflects her age. Although it is sad that she'll end up being the money cow for the family. It puts her under a stress that no child should have to deal with especially at her age. But I really think everyone is being quite glum about the whole thing. She'll only continue to improve and she'll probably find her independence at an art school.

 

[Elind]

But then again, at age 11, what message does she have to convey?

At what age do you think she will say she's an atheist? Then the painting will perhaps become freer.

Actually, I'm confused now. I then read further that her mother is an aetheist. So is she already rebelling by being religious?

Has she been seen painting on her own?

 

[Odin]

On Poe
On Something awful

In my GCSE (age 15-16) art class there were a few people capable of painting pretty much to this standard so I'd think in skill she's about 4 years ahead of the best 11 year olds.



There's also a four year old art prodigy.

 

[Elind]

On Poe
On Something awful

In my GCSE (age 15-16) art class there were a few people capable of painting pretty much to this standard so I'd think in skill she's about 4 years ahead of the best 11 year olds.

There's also a four year old art prodigy.

So, could this be a case of good marketing rather than prodigy? I'm still puzzled by the paintings religious aspect, given the aetheist background.

 

[tkingdoll]

I just caught this, under "Her Life":

"Born underwater at home, on July 9, 1994, in Mount Morris, Illinois, to the atheistic stay-at-home Lithuanian homemaker mother, and an American father, culinary arts instructor, chef and dietary manager."

I'm sure her mother is flattered..

What's a 'stay-at-home Lithuanian' and where can I get one?