Sles was born into a
Conservative Jewish family in
New Jersey. His father co-founded the
United Cerebral Palsy Society. Despite the advice of high school guidance counselors, who advised him that his handicap would probably make college attendance impossible, Sles attended
Bard College and graduated from
Swarthmore College in 1962. After graduation, Sles became a working artist, painting in
New York,
Martinique,
Paris and
Cannes. He established a studio in
Valencia, Spain.
Personal life Sles was married for 22 years and raised a daughter. As an adult, he became an "unconventional modern Hasidic Jew" turning to Jewish mysticism and alternative healing techniques to help him transcend his disability. ==See also==