I’m Asking for Help 😱

This is the part I’ve been avoiding.

I’m not going to make it as an artist without your help.

Every time I ask Guidance what to do, I hear the same response:

“Make art. Tell stories. Ask for help.”

No matter what I ask — whether it’s how to grow my business, what to focus on next, or what to do when I’m panicking — I keep hearing this phrase, like a mantra.

Guidance, as Julia Cameron describes in The Artist’s Way, is our deep inner voice — maybe even a divine one. You write to it. You listen for the answer.

And if you’re brave enough, you follow what it says.

And to be honest?

“Make art. Tell stories.”

Got it!

Love it!
Done!

That’s my joy in life right now.

But, “Ask for help”??

That phrase makes my stomach sink.

I’ve tried to rephrase it. Polish it. Make it sound cooler:

• “Engage others”?
• “Send fun invitations”?
• “Make exciting offers”?

But guidance is stubborn.

“Ask for help.”

Every time I hear it, I feel that small, frightened child in me squirm.

The part that still thinks I need to be impressive to be loved.

The part that confuses vulnerability with weakness.

Still learning to express needs without feeling like a burden.

But at last I gave in to Guidance’s gentle stubbornness.

I turned to Kayla and said:

“Kayla, I need help.

I’m panicking.

You had to quit your job, and I feel like my art business has to support our whole family by the end of summer.

I knew it was coming, and I’ve tried so hard to give you the soft landing you deserve, but I’m just not there yet.”

“I’m creating beautiful art that people love – but selling it still feels like a string of miracles and magic.”

Kayla: “Do people know it’s for sale?”

Me: “Hmmm. I guess I leave that part out.”

Kayla: “I think people want your art. And they want to support you. You’re not giving them the chance.”

When she said that, a memory returned like lightning:

Last year I made a painting for my friend Sue. She loved it, and wanted to buy it.

But I told her ‘No’.  It was a gift.

She looked at me and said:

“You are not letting me use my money to help a young artist I care about. Why would you take that from me?”

That moment turned my sense of  value inside out!

So here I am, on the edge of my comfort zone, trusting my inner Guidance that it’s safe for me to say:

I need your help.

I’m like a foster home for magical creations — and these beings, my art, are ready for their forever homes.

When you buy a piece, you’re not just bringing a portal of optimism and beauty into your space — you’re investing energy into this beautiful story  we are writing together.

Make art. Share stories. Ask for… and Receive help from those who resonate.

I’m still learning to ask. Still learning to receive.

Even when it makes me squirm.

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Want to help us keep the magic flowing? Here’s how you can step in:

1) Find a space that needs some magic.
Blank walls? Something uninspired hanging that no longer feels like you? Let’s find the right piece to replace it — no matter your budget. Just reply, message, or call and we’ll work it out together. 🖼️

2) Know someone who loves art?
Forward this email. Or send them a note with a link to my work. A warm intro is everything. ❤️

3) Let me know you’re out there.
Every comment, reply, and “Hey, I read your newsletter!” moment fills my tank. Truly. 🙌🏼

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Whew. That wasn’t so bad! 😅

If you’ve ever thought, “I should reach out,” now’s the time.

I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you for seeing  — not just the art, but the artist behind it.

With paint on my fingers and courage in my heart,

Ryan