About
Caleb Gannon: PhD Scientist turned Artist and Game Designer
Originally trained as an engineer, I approached mathematics purely as a practical tool—a means to an end. That perspective transformed during my graduate studies when I discovered that abstract mathematics is something beautiful and profound—essentially an art form that happens to be incredibly useful. I was captivated by this revelation.
Being visually oriented, I naturally gravitated toward mathematical disciplines where visuals and graphics do the heavy lifting. My doctoral thesis focused on applying differential geometry to construct light-shaping optics—work that merged rigorous mathematics with tangible, visible applications. This intersection became the foundation for my later artistic endeavors.
The natural evolution from optical engineering was using mathematics to create art directly. I began developing specialized software to understand the fundamentals of perception and image composition from a mathematical perspective. Over the past decade, this software has evolved into the primary tool I use to create most of my artistic works today.
Navigating an Unexpected Detour
Near the completion of my PhD, I was building a promising startup focused on analytical raytracing and optimization of NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline) surfaces. With development approximately 80% complete, life intervened unexpectedly. A chronic illness suddenly limited my capacity to work more than a few hours weekly, forcing me to step away from the startup.
During this challenging period, I maintained a small Magic: The Gathering (MTG) YouTube channel as a creative outlet. Recording one or two videos weekly became my primary professional activity for several years as I focused on recovery. Gradually, as the channel grew in popularity, I discovered I was supporting myself entirely through content creation—an unexpected but welcome development.
A Renaissance of Creativity
As my health improved over time, I began tackling increasingly ambitious projects. First came professional art creation—the original purpose behind this website. Building on my growing audience and creative momentum, I then spent six months designing a "cube" (a custom MTG draft format) that eventually became one of the most influential cubes in the game's community. You can read about that here.
This success validated my approach to game design and inspired my most ambitious project to date: creating my own game from scratch.
Algomancy: The Culmination of a Journey
Algomancy represents the synthesis of my mathematical background, artistic sensibilities, and game design philosophy. Built from the ground up with mechanics as its foundation, the game directly addresses what I perceived as the core limitations of traditional card games: first-player advantage, prohibitive costs, and excessive luck-dependency.
I designed Algomancy to be a playground for ideas, where open-ended card designs combine in virtually endless possibilities—a system that rewards creativity and strategic thinking in equal measure.
For those interested in the complete development story, I've documented the journey in a comprehensive 10,000+ word article "The Making of Algomancy". If you're curious about experiencing the game firsthand, you can get Algomancy here.
The Continuing Evolution
Today, my work stands at the intersection of mathematics, art, and game design—three disciplines that continually inform and enrich one another in my practice. What began as a practical approach to engineering has transformed into a multifaceted creative journey that I continue to navigate with the same curiosity and wonder that first drew me to the beauty of abstract mathematics.
New projects are already taking shape, each building on the foundations of mathematical artistry and innovative design that have defined my work thus far. Stay tuned—this journey is far from over.