Sometimes, the most meaningful connections happen by chance.

When a parent of a Hamlin Robinson School alumnus was flipping through a recent edition of The Scoop, inspiration struck. She knew that the owners of the Foster/White Gallery were looking for a school to house one of their sculptures. She immediately thought of HRS, a place that had profoundly shaped her daughter, now thriving at San Diego State University.

That spark led to a conversation, a connection, and a gift.

Not long after, gallery employee Zoe Hensley reached out to Head of School Stacy Turner to share information about a piece by artist Paul Vexler — a sculptor known for intertwining art, mathematics, and the natural world.

Vexler, who studied physics before turning to sculpture, was fascinated by the mathematical beauty found in nature — spirals, helices, and geometric forms. His pieces seem to twist and breathe, capturing motion and pattern in wood. Vexler passed away in 2022 at the age of 75, leaving behind a legacy of wonder and precision.

As Mr. Turner considered this generous offer, it reminded him of another connection: the memory of former math teacher Hayden Hall, and the school’s work to create the Hayden Hall Legacy Math Resource Center in the Middle School Commons. A sculpture born from both art and mathematics felt like a perfect tribute, a meeting point of creativity, intellect, and inspiration.

After thoughtful conversations with the Foster/White Gallery, the school gratefully accepted the donation of Vexler’s piece, Endless Knot. Crafted from hemlock, Endless Knot measures 120" x 48" x 46" and weighs 77 pounds — a mesmerizing ribbon of wood that loops and folds in harmony, never quite ending. The donation of the sculpture was made jointly by Sonia Siegel Vexler (Paul's widow) and Foster/White gallery.

Soon, the HRS community will be invited to view the sculpture in its new home, where it will stand as a lasting reminder: that art and mathematics are not opposites, but partners in beauty, curiosity, and endless discovery.