Sigmund Abeles was born in New York City on November 6, 1934, and was raised in South Carolina. His work was expressive and he explored the psychological aspects of human figure as well as animals. He worked in pastels, oils, graphic media, and sculpture. He is currently a professor at the University of New Hampshire, while he works full-time in his New York City and upstate New York studio. Ables received numerous grants and awards, and his work is in the collections of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Chicago Art Institute, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art of New York City.