I learned to draw and paint portraits by taking private art lessons from Abe Nussbaum. He had the rare quality of being a good painter as well as teacher. He broke each process into simple, achievable steps, and explained them so that the student understood. I met him towards the end of his life when commissions were scarce and he made most of his living from lessons. He had three sessions per day with two students per session. He was very parsimonious but still gave free lessons to several poor individuals.

The Nazi period was a very difficult time for Abe and Riva. The Nazis killed his parents and Riva's family, and Abe and Riva fled to Belgium. He said he had a nice studio and clients there. The Nazis came again, and he hired someone to take him to France. The person took him to a place where France, Belgium and Germany met, and set him off in Germany in sight of German soldiers. The person demanded more money. He eventually escaped in a truck with a hidden compartment behind the cab. He said it was only large enough to stand in, and had some air holes. He was understandably terrified at the border. German soldiers took a diamond ring from Riva during one of their escapes. Abe said the diamond was as large as a thumbnail, and they thought it would be considered costume jewelry.

They were had no money when they reached France. They went to a restaurant, and Abe drew Riva's portrait in pencil. Others asked him to do their portrait, so he made enough money to buy food. they eventually reached Lourdes, where Catholic nuns befriended them. Riva lived with the nuns. The Nazis came again, and Abe was able to escape them by being placed in a hospital.

They came to New York for a period of time, and then moved to Sacramento, CA to be near his sister, Manja Goldman. Abe was in his late forties when he arrived in America.

Imagine the strength of character it took to survive such experiences! It would be difficult enough to move to another country and learn a new language and customs at that time in life. Add to that having to move with little or no money, and the terror of knowing an entire nation with its resources and supporters are actively pursuing you, to kill you, make their survival all the more remarkable. I wonder how many people of today could endure the adversities he and Riva faced.

Abe was known throughout the region. He created a nice relaxing atmosphere in his studio. A new student always had to demonstrate proficiency in pencil, then learn to draw with charcoal, and finally paint with oil paint. This curriculum upset some people who "just wanted to paint." He saw to it that his students did good work. Those who didn't, or would not follow instructions, were not given another appointment. Abe told students "Good enough is not good enough-it has to be right!"

Abe's students held him in great respect, and the art community lost its greatest asset when he could no longer teach. He left a void which has not been filled. Abe once told me when he came to Sacramento people said he "drew photographs by hand." After thirty years here, many people knew the difference between a photograph and a drawing, and lots of people could also draw a photograph by hand.

The initial picture above is of Abe in his studio, with the beginning of a painting of Riva. The painting in the background was of a doctor's wife. She passed away, and the doctor remarried. The second wife did not care to have a portrait of her predecessor, so the painting was returned to Abe. The three young girls were done in oil. This painting was one of Abe's favorites. The first drawing is a pencil study of Brian Kidney, a California state legislator. It was done to show the sitter Abe's conception of a painting, as was the lady in red conte and pencil. These were sold separately, if the sitter wished to purchase them. The young man is a black and white photograph of an oil painting.

Near the end of his life, Abe compiled some of his poems and writings in a book titled The Many Moods of Abraham N. I have 200 copies.

The lady (20 x 16") is done in pastel in an original technique. Abe pulverized pastel and applied the pigment with cotton balls. He added details with sharpened pastel sticks. This changed pastel from a linear to a tonal drawing tool.

This wash drawing is the beginning of a painting of Brian Kidney, the legislator depicted above. It is rare to be able to show the preliminaries of a painting.

Abe's painting of Einstein is novel. The entire picture is made of many small images of the larger image. He is saying man is the composite of his parts.