I’ve spent my life turning ideas into art, businesses, and community.
Now I help other vision-minded people do the same with their own work.
ABOUT RYAN
I’ve spent 22 years working at the intersection of creative work and business strategy. My background spans life as an artist, business owner, retailer, and program director, often holding those roles at the same time.
I’ve sold work nationally, owned a local art supply store, founded the live storytelling community Campfire Tales, and led marketing workshops for independent makers. Today, I serve as the Emerging Arts Director for Art in the Pearl, one of the country’s leading fine art festivals.
Across all of it, one pattern always repeats: creative people don’t struggle because they lack ideas. They struggle when the way they think collides with the demands of running a business.
That understanding shaped my coaching practice. I partner with founders, artists, and creative entrepreneurs who think differently and need support that respects how they operate.
I don’t offer scripts or rigid frameworks. I pay attention to how you work, get curious about what you need, and help you move forward without losing what makes you and your work distinct.
Different thinking, for different thinkers.
The Inspiration Behind My Art
I learn by trying. I’ve had hundreds of ideas over the years, but when something clicks, I focus on it completely.
Modern Terrain grew out of curiosity and a balance between my love of industrial design, modern, clean aesthetics, and doing something new. I illustrate over plexiglass maps, back the drawings with my original photography, and assemble each piece using contemporary, unframed hardware.
Because the work is unframed, light passes through the layers, giving each piece a sense of openness and connection to the outdoors, while still being constructed with a modern aesthetic.