Bridging The Math-Art Divide

Math has been integral to art throughout history, from the Ancient Egyptians to Leonardo daVinci. Today, math and art are often thought of as opposites, as when people are described as "leftbrained" (math oriented) or "right-brained" (art oriented). But the time-tested relationship between math and art is still going strong.

To begin to understand the many ways in which math and art connect today, we interviewed four mathematically influenced artists, and found four distinct points of view. We also found good news for a variety of students. Those who have a love of math and science as well as a passion for art or music need not sacrifice one to get on with the other; photographer Cindy Stokes works as a scientist, and tech veteran Max Chandler programs robots to help create his paintings. On the other hand, students who haven't always been thrilled by the math lessons they've encountered might find a world of enjoyment by taking a hands-on approach, as Vicky Richardson has in her sculpture, building geometric models in shapes that appeal. Petronio Bendito, who now combines geometry with dance, found that hands-on math lessons were also his favorites, and they inspired his curiosity to understand more.