By Janet Sellers
Richard Feynman, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, was a man of immense curiosity. He was also a visual thinker who, at age 44, decided to become an artist. Signing his sketches under the pseudonym “Ofey,” Feynman spent decades capturing “scientific awe” through portraits and life drawings. He was encouraged by artists to embrace a relaxed, non-precise approach—a stark contrast to his meticulous scientific work. (Interestingly, Feynman lived just a few miles from me in Pasadena; we even framed his drawings at the shop where I worked, which was near Caltech!)
Feynman’s life was a testament to the idea that art and science aren’t separate rooms, but different windows into the same world. One afternoon in the 1940s at a Cornell cafeteria, he overheard students discussing what he assumed was complex analytical geometry. It turned out they were actually discussing the logic of knitting Argyle socks.
The Argyle pattern is a perfect example of “applied geometry.” Originating in the 17th-century Scottish Highlands with the Clan Campbell, the pattern evolved from traditional tartan. By rotating a standard grid 45 degrees, weavers created the iconic diamond shape. It wasn’t just a style choice; it was a mathematical shift in pattern recognition.
What is mathematics?
The word “mathematics” comes from the ancient Greek Mathema, meaning “that which is learned” or “knowledge.” The suffix -tics stems from tikos, meaning “the art of.” Essentially, mathematics is the art of learning how to manage reality. This leads us to a fascinating field called Ethnomathematics. Coined by Ubiratan D’Ambrosio in the 1970s, this study recognizes that mathematical thinking is inherent to all humans, not just those with slide rules. It validates the “non-traditional” math found in oral traditions, weaving, and navigation.
Weaving the world
Ethnomathematics bridges the gap between abstract school math and the rich, practical knowledge found in daily life. We see it everywhere:
- Architecture: In the geometric precision of the Native American tipi, the multi-level stone complexes of the Ancestral Puebloans at Mesa Verde, and the structural harmony of the Diné (Navajo) hogan.
- Cultural rituals: In the complex isosceles triangles and rhombuses of Bedouin embroidery.
- Daily craft: In the symmetries of basket weaving and the intricate logic of quilts.
Whether you are sketching a model like Feynman did or calculating the tension in a knitted sock, you are participating in a global, ancient tradition of understanding our world. Art and math are simply two ways of describing the beauty we see. At any age, picking up a tool—be it a paintbrush, a needle, or a compass—is the first step in “managing reality” and making it your own.
Janet Sellers is an artist, writer, and speaker, with talks on art making, collecting, and creative strategies for artists, exhibits, and funding. Contact her for more: JanetSellers@ocn.me.
Other Art Matters articles
- Art Matters – The architecture of awe: why art holds nature’s secret language (4/1/2026)
- Art Matters – Is our education keeping up with visual literacy? (2/4/2026)
- Art Matters – How Gen Z influences our cultural and financial future (12/31/2025)
- Art Matters – Art curation: We all do it, even with holiday trees and gift wrapping (12/4/2025)
- Art Matters – Art shapes our world—and shifts our gaze (10/30/2025)
- Art Matters – October is Arts Month: Artober with Monumental Impact (10/1/2025)
- Art Matters – What is art good for? (9/3/2025)
- Art Matters – We Can’t Unchop a Tree (7/31/2025)
- Art Matters – The many benefits of outdoor art and arts events (7/3/2025)
- Art Matters – On being a sketchy person in the art and cultural sector (6/7/2025)
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