Sarah Wicker &

Gabrielle Jawer

Embracing Mathematics

Textile fiber art, 36” x 36”

About the Work

Math is often seen as cold and abstract. Our quilt challenges this joyless misperception by providing a comforting physical component - a colorful, simplified gateway into the world of mathematics - accessible to each of us.


A fractal is an infinite pattern, made by repeating some geometry and/or process such that the image on a small scale is the same as the image on a large scale. This quilt exhibits nine of the innumerable fractal patterns or mathematical models found in mathematics and/or nature.

Artist Background

Sarah Wicker is a member of William & Mary’s Class of 2023. Double majoring in studio art and data science, following the 2-dimensional concentration and algorithms tracks respectively. Sarah is interested in the intersection of mathematics and art, following details and patterns. She plans on entering into art as a full-time career in the context of museum or gallery work.


Gabrielle Jawer, class of 2021 is a physics engineering major and math minor, with an eye for science storytelling. Although this is her first foray into science art, she has written various science narratives and plans to continue her pursuits in the diverse world of science communication.

Description of Panels

(Left to right Column, Top to Bottom Row)


  1. Sierpinski Triangle

  2. Bismuth Representation

  3. Pythagoras’s Tree

  4. Linear Dunes

  5. Fibonacci Sequence

  6. Dragon Curve

  7. Waves and Sound

  8. Hexagon Tessellation

  9. Koch’s Snowflake