[1] He is a member of the Osage Nation and currently teaches painting in the Department of Visual Art at the University of Kansas.
[1] Akers's artwork is inspired by his background as a Native American and what it means culturally to be an Indian.
[1] The art often includes references to multiple perspectives or interpretations and how these ideas are used to identify spiritual places.
Akers has specified that there is no certain physical place or destination, as it represents the spiritual origin these images bring him and relate to him culturally.
[4] Akers will use maps in his work, which he has described as an expression for spiritual connection to physical places he has yet discovered.