St. Carlo Acutis:

Painting God’s Influencer

by Kevin Pawlowski, Paradise Found Studio

When most people imagine a saint, they picture figures from centuries past—martyrs, mystics, or holy men and women in robes or armor. But Carlo Acutis (1991–2006), affectionately called “God’s influencer,” reminds us that holiness is not limited to history.

A millennial, a gamer, a coder, and a teenager with a deep devotion to the Eucharist, Carlo embraced both technology and faith to bring the timeless message of Christ into the digital age.

This unique blending of modern life and sacred devotion is what inspired Kevin Pawlowski of Paradise Found Studio LLC to create St. Carlo Acutis (oil and digital printing on canvas, 20” x 16”). Painted in 2025, the piece is a striking tribute that merges painterly realism with contemporary imagery, honoring Carlo’s legacy as the first saint of the internet era.

The Life and Legacy of St. Carlo Acutis

Carlo Acutis was born in London in 1991 and raised in Milan. From a young age, he showed a precocious love for technology, teaching himself computer programming, graphic design, and video editing. But his true passion was the Eucharist. After receiving his First Communion at age seven, Carlo attended Mass daily, prayed the rosary, and made regular visits to Eucharistic adoration. His guiding principle was simple yet profound: “To always be united to Jesus—this is my life plan.”

By his early teens, Carlo was using his digital skills to evangelize. He built parish websites, helped friends learn coding, and most famously, developed an online exhibition cataloging Eucharistic miracles from around the world—a project that has since traveled internationally and continues to inspire Catholics everywhere.

At fifteen, Carlo was diagnosed with leukemia. He faced his illness with courage, offering his suffering for the pope and the Church. He passed away on October 12, 2006, leaving behind an epitaph that reflects his joyful spirit: “Keep loving, keep smiling, and go for great things.”

Declared Blessed in 2020 and canonized in September 2025, Carlo is now the first millennial saint, and his story resonates deeply with young people and believers seeking holiness in everyday life.

St. Carlo Acutis

Tomb of Carlo Acutis with his body at the Sanctuary of the Spoliation in Assisi

Saint Carlo Acutis oil painting portrait by Kevin Pawlowski (2025)

A Carlo Acutis memorial in a Covent Garden church in London

Symbolism and Imagery in the Painting

Carlo at His Computer

At the heart of the composition, Carlo is seated at his computer, immersed in building his Eucharistic miracles website. His face is rendered in lifelike realism—calm, focused, and quietly radiant. This detail anchors the work in human authenticity, reminding us that sanctity can be found in ordinary settings, even in front of a computer screen.

The Digital Collage

Behind Carlo, Pawlowski integrates a digital collage made up of screenshots, code snippets, and design fragments. HTML tags and JavaScript snippets peek through the layers, symbols of Carlo’s technical skill and creativity. This fusion of oil paint with digital printing reflects Carlo’s own blending of technology and faith. It is a visual metaphor: the background of code and images forms the canvas of Carlo’s life mission, just as his digital work continues to support the faith journeys of countless people.

Painterly Brushwork

The figure of Carlo is painted with fine, realistic detail, while his body, clothing, and hands shift into looser, more expressive brushstrokes. This contrast draws the eye to his face while also conveying the energy and movement of his mission. The interplay of precise and painterly strokes mirrors Carlo’s life itself: firmly rooted in eternal truths yet vibrantly alive in the modern world.

My Painting Process

Creating St. Carlo Acutis was itself a hybrid endeavor. I began with digital elements — actual fragments of Carlo’s online work, code, and imagery — which were printed directly onto the canvas to form the backdrop. Over this, he layered oil paint, carefully building the portrait with traditional techniques.

The painting evolved through multiple stages: underpainting for structure, glazes for depth, and final highlights to capture light on Carlo’s skin and the glow of his screen. The process combined old-world craftsmanship with modern tools, echoing Carlo’s own ability to take contemporary culture and orient it toward timeless faith.

This marriage of mediums results in a dynamic work that bridges past and present, drawing collectors into the story of a saint who lived and breathed the digital world.

Why Carlo Matters Today

Carlo’s canonization in September 2025 is historic—not only because he is the first millennial saint, but because his story proves that holiness belongs to every era. He is a role model for young people navigating technology, offering an example of how to use digital tools for good rather than distraction.

For believers, he is a reminder that sanctity is not limited to cloisters or pulpits but can be lived out in everyday life: in the classroom, online, or even while coding late at night. His legacy continues to inspire millions across the world, especially those seeking to bridge the gap between modern culture and ancient faith.

With my painting, I try to embody this relevance. It is not a medieval icon or Baroque tableau but a fresh and accessible image—an invitation for today’s collectors to encounter a saint in a way that feels both familiar and timeless.

Owning St. Carlo Acutis is more than adding a painting to your collection—it is welcoming the story of a young saint whose joy, faith, and talent continue to shape the Church in the 21st century.

Whether you choose the original or a reproduction, this painting is a reminder of what Carlo himself believed: that sainthood is not reserved for the few but is a calling for all—and that even in the digital age, holiness is within reach.