Who we are?

I Can I Will, Inc. (ICIW) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit youth organization  founded  to motivate and inspire youth in Chester, PA . ICIW was co-founded by Michael Gray II, Markus Gray, and Michael Gray Sr., in 2007 for youth ages 3 through 16. The purpose of the organization is to teach and reinforce learning about  the arts, agriculture, economics, and basic business concepts at a young age. With that in mind, participating youth are encouraged to develop small business ventures within their neighborhood. Our children are  at the core of our multi-award winning Community Garden Program, where they apply the skills they've learned in agriculture, economics, and teamwork. Fathers, mothers,  and the entire community are encouraged to participate in our youth development programs. We strive to instill our slogan “I can achieve my goals, I will realize my dreams”, in every child that our program touches. To see our work over the years please like us on Facebook.

What are we trying to do?

Through our saturday program we have realized that art has grown to be one of the biggest outlets for our children and to encourage the development of our young artists we are working to build an art center in the city of Chester, Pa. Through this campaign we are looking to raised $100,000 to build a state of the art art center to continue to teach our kids the value of the arts. We plan on hosting art classes and hosting art shows to showcase the city’s talents. Your donation will go along way even if its just $1, you can help build a lifelong impact on the life of our children.

Our Rewards

Our rewards listed below are very special, they were painted by the late “Andrew Turner Sr.”, who was a native of Chester, Pa. He was a close friend and teacher of the founder of ICIW and has had a lasting impact upon him.

Andrew Turner, American (1944 - 2001)

Andrew Turner was born in l944 in Chester, Pennsylvania. He was a graduate of Temple University's Tyler School of Art. Andrew's work has been widely acclaimed, with many solo exhibitions and participation in group exhibitions. He has taught art in grades K-1 2 in the Chester, Pennsylvania Public Schools and in correctional centers.

His appointments include Artist-in-Residence and Curator, Deshong Museum, Chester, PA; Lecturer, Widener University; Lecturer, Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; and, he toured and lectured in The People's Republic of China. Collections which hold Andrew's paintings include Woody Allen, Dr. Maya Angelou, ARCO Chemical Company, Bell Telephone Company, Dr. Constance Clayton, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Cosby, Edie Huggins, Eric Lindros, Mr. and Mrs Louis Madonni, Moses Malone, Penn State University, the artist formerly known as Prince, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sorgenti, Swarthmore College, Mrs. Marilyn Wheaton, and Widener University Deshong Museum, just to name a few. He has been featured in numerous solo exhibitions and group exhibitions in the United States and abroad. His Philadelphia commissions include: WDAS FM (1996); Marco Solo, (published by J. Schwinn and G. Harlow, illustrated by Andrew Turner) Reverse Angle Productions, Inc. (I 995); and Robin Hood Dell, Fairmount Park (1985).

"My paintings combine the drama inherent in seventeenth century Dutch painting with the brush work and the economy of the Impressionists. However, I look to the jazz idiom more so than to other contemporary visual artists for guidance and inspiration. I tend to measure the success of my pieces by how they stand up technically, emotionally and innovatively to a Coltrane solo or whether I've captured the spirit of the occasion, a la Ellington. The subject matter, sometimes nostalgic recollections of my days as a young tough, covers a myriad of common folk activities. The setting usually my native Chester, is a beehive of creative stimulation or a deteriorating ghetto depending on my state of mind. At the very least, hopefully, these vignettes of experience will help to provide insight into some African American lifestyles and serve as an inspiration to my students and others to continue the legacy of African American participation in the arts."

Washing Dishes : $10,000

18x22: Acrylic on Canvas

Rainy Day: $10,000

13x36: Acrylic on Canvas

Dance: $10,000

24x30: Acrylic on Canvas

Lady Band: $10,000

24x36: Acrylic on Canvas

Party: $10,000

24x48: Acrylic on Wood

Girls in Door: $10,000

12x48: Acrylic on Board

Man with Cane: $5,000

16x40:  Acylic on Canvas

Play : $5,000

16x20:  Acrylic on Canvas Panel

Flowers: $5,000

18x24: Acrylic on Canvas Panel

Time out: $5,000

14x18: Acrylic on Canvas

Bath: $5,000

16x20:  Acrylic on Canvas Panel

Truck Ride: $25 - $50

17.5 x 24 : Print

Sax: $100

25x31: Print

Bass 2: $100

24x30 : Print

Preacher: $100

23x29 : Print

Bass Player: $300

23x27: Signed and Numbered Lithography

Jammin': $300

18x22: Signed and Numbered Lithography