About the Artwork

"What you probably see first in this image are the beautiful wings on Everyman. Next you notice that he's chained to a pillar - and then, if you look closely, you'll spot a key within his reach. I'm trying to suggest that we all have 'wings of potential,' the means to do or become whatever we want."

"When I showed the still-untitled image to some friends, they said it reminded them of the story of Icarus. According to myth, Icarus learned to fly on wings made of wax and feathers. In some versions of the tale, he flies too close to the sun, which melts the wax and causes him to plummet into the ocean below. In other versions, he was also warned to stay well above the waves because the spray could soak the feathers and destroy them."

"The message of the myth is certainly relevant here. Although we may fly on wings of potential, we shouldn't do it recklessly - freedom and license are not the same things. We need to keep a steady course - and it wouldn't hurt to draw up a flight plan before departure."