THIS IS ICAN BOY
This is ICAN boyâ. ICAN boy is a boy of color addicted to airplanes and exploring the unknown. This image is the moment that ICAN boy first senses the wings on his back and begins to reframe his outer world through a high level of perspective— a world that appears to have a thirst for his blood. He is gifted with the innate ability to rise above this world through his unique power. Through his unique wings.
One plane in the image has an eye. One plane has a heart. Look closely. I believe we are guided by an all-seeing eye which exists at the same altitude as love – “somewhere way up there.”
ICAN boy is a product of the eye/God/universe/nature, and a product of love. And with his wings (which he must first realize he possesses), he can soar alongside these entities, where he was conceived—where he belongs.
And while he cannot control the pain and destruction around him or targeted toward him (depicted on the cover of Views from the Cockpit) he CAN, in fact, stand in supreme confidence and unshakable validation that his journey is valuable. ICAN boy symbolizes the moment anyone realizes that they have a circle of influence and impact in their life, just by existing. One person impacted or one million people impacted, the scope is irrelevant. The sky is endless and accommodates all. Value is in being incarnated.
Each of us is gifted with an innate value, but we must be willing to look below the surface – to reach, to question when the answer seems apparent, with hope that the 11th attempt will be the attempt that aligns our desires with our outer world. Inevitable suffering and nightmares of crashing airplanes coexist with the joy that is possible, yes. But the realization of the choice — “to do,” “to do more,” “to make do,” or, essentially "to fly higher" – is exclusively yours. If ICAN, then YOUCAN-- if YOUCAN maybe the WORLDCAN.
ICAN boy was drawn in my likeliness by David Izaquirre and colored by William Sikora.
Bathe in these words:
YOU CAN! / I CAN!
YOU SHOULD! / I SHOULD!
YOU BETTER! / I BETTER! YOU MUST! / I MUST! YOU CAN! / I CAN!
YOU CAN – I CAN – WE CAN
Illustrator @izythereal
Color and shading @willsikora