Just a question tacticalogic: In what sense do you mean that mathematics is "artificial?" In the sense that it is the creation of an Artificer? Or did you mean something else?
I do agree with your second statement. I'm not sure what the first statement means, however; which is why I'm asking you for clarification.
Perhaps "abstract" as opposed to "concrete" would have been a better choice of words. Mathematics is an abstraction. It is used to represent properties of real objects and forces, but it is not "real" in and of itself.