Born June 1, 1976 in Minsk, Belarus. Paul Abelsky attended Minsk Art School for two years before immigrating to the United States in 1991. The primary artistic and intellectual influence continued to be Chaim Livchitz who directed private lessons in still life and landscape painting. After graduating from Niles North High School Abelsky attended Amherst College where he studied painting with Robert Sweeney, becoming a frequent contributor to student exhibits and publications. Following college Paul Abelsky spent a year traveling in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. His project, funded by the Thomas J. Watson Foundation, focused on the architectural traditions of Islam and Christianity. Using drawing, writing, and photography he attempted to document a correlation between space and religious experience. Currently a doctoral student in history at Yale University, Abelsky's ambition is to apply his artistic background to the study of historical texts and monuments. He continues to work in diverse media and is beginning to organize the materials brought from his travels