What happens when you leave a 24-year career without a plan for what comes next? For me, a lifetime of curiosity, creative experiments, and seemingly unrelated interests eventually led to a second career as an encaustic artist. Looking back, I can see how one thing led to another, even when I had no idea where I was headed.

What happens when an artist applies the principles behind his paintings to designing a brand mark? Inspired by designer Allan Peters, I explored dozens of ideas before finding a simple combination of geometry, stippling and negative space that reflects how I make my work.

What keeps me coming back to Rittenhouse isn’t just the art. It’s the people. Old friends, new friends, fellow artists, collectors and familiar faces somehow come together around four black walls in the middle of Philadelphia.

At the Bethesda Row Arts Festival, I found myself next to an artist whose work felt unexpectedly connected to my own. Different materials, different processes, but a shared fascination with geometry, repetition, pattern and texture. It was a reminder that one of the best parts of doing art shows isn’t just showing the work. It’s the artists you meet along the way.

August was a whirlwind of art, connection and more than a few red dots. From my Patterned Worlds solo show at Ali Gray Gallery to seeing my art worn out in the world—and watching work find new homes—it was a month that reminded me just how much can happen in a few short weeks.

What makes an art show successful? Red dots are wonderful, but they don’t tell the whole story. I’ve started tracking both piece sell-through and dollar sell-through—and looking beyond immediate sales to the relationships and opportunities that can emerge long after a show ends.