Born in Washington, D.C. in 1919, Martha Elfriede Abbè is a sculptor, engraver and illustrator best known for her abstract sculptures in wood. She studied at Cornell University and Syracuse University, and won awards while at Cornell in 1938 and 1940. Other awards include the Tiffany Foundation Fellowship (1948), gold medal at the National Arts Club (1970), gold medal at the Academy of Artists Association in Springfield, MA (1976), and the E. Liskin Cash Award at the Salmagundi Club (1979).