Ryan is building a future.
He works at a pharmacy while pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Radiologic and Imaging Sciences at Grand Valley State University, with a focus on Radiation Therapy — all while raising his daughter, Myra.
When Ryan and Myra came to dye together, I got to see a different side of him.
Curious. Playful. Open.
She picked up my violin first — and then Ryan followed. After a few notes, he paused and said he felt better.
There was something powerful in that moment — someone grounded in science, opening to other forms of healing.
How We Met
Ryan is often found in scrubs on the swing dance floor.
We met through swing dancing and Lindy Hop classes, where I’ve watched him grow over the past year — exploring new movements, building confidence, and stepping more fully into expression.
Seeing him in bright colors after mostly seeing him in neutral scrubs felt like watching a different version of him emerge.
Who He Is
Ryan carries a quiet steadiness — the kind that comes from responsibility, from showing up every day for his daughter, his education, and the people he cares for.
But beneath that steadiness is something expansive.
He is curious. Open. Willing to try.
The bright colors didn’t change him — they revealed the part of him that already sees the world with wonder. The part that plants nettle just to see what happens. The part that picks up a violin and lets himself feel something new.
Ryan is someone who holds both structure and softness — grounded in purpose, but still reaching toward joy.
Why These Colors
Ryan told me about planting nettle in his backyard to make tea. It took off. When I asked where his curiosity came from — the tea, the colors — he said simply: “Myself.”
That childlike curiosity shaped the palette:
- Turquoise
- Electric Green
- Hot Pink
- Peach
- Citrus Yellow
These are pure, vibrant colors — the kind that don’t hide or blend, but expand.
They mirror the sky on a bright day — open, limitless, and full of possibility.
The Look
Ryan started with the shirt he dyed — a burst of color across the fabric — and we built from there:
- Turquoise fisherman cardigan
- Peach stretch denim
- Green scarf belt
- Hot pink and green kerchief
- Citrus yellow cotton hat
The look shifted and evolved as we played, but what remained constant was the sense of joy and expansion.
It felt like stepping into sunlight.
The Session
We shot at Huff Park, along the forest edge where light filters through the trees.
Ryan stretched out on logs, balanced along the treeline, and wandered until he found a spot where he could fully rest in the sun.
At one point, arms stretched wide, he reflected on how similar the position was to what his patients experience during treatment.
And then he said something that stayed with me:
He wished they could feel what he was feeling in that moment —
like resting in the woods, warm and at peace.
Color Connection
These colors are pure spectrum energy. They don’t carry shadow — they carry light, activation, and transformation.
Bright colors invite us to:
- be seen
- feel joy
- step into possibility
They remind us that sometimes healing isn’t just quiet. Sometimes it’s vibrant.
Men in Motion
Ryan didn’t just wear color.
He expanded into it.
And in doing so, he reminded me that the sky isn’t something we look at — it’s something we can step into.
