Bill Abel grew up in Belzoni, Mississippi, a small Delta town known for both its blues and artistic heritage. He has spent decades as a backup guitarist for Fat Possum recording artist Paul "Wine" Jones as well as fronting his own classic Delta blues outfit. In the late1990s, Abel decided to work toward his Bachelor's degree at Delta State University, where he studied painting and ceramics. Abel is also influenced by the folk art and artists of his native Delta, crafting homemade "diddley bo" guitars from Mississippi River driftwood and cigar boxes.
After receiving his Bachelor's degree from DSU, Abel became a professional artist. He modified his rural home, located just minutes from the Mississippi River in Duncan, to build a ceramics studio, kiln, painter's studio and recording studio from refurbished and self-made materials. Here, he spends time with his family and creates a host of multimedia pieces. His ceramic work, inspired by Japanese folk pottery and the handmade Delta aesthetic, has been selling in venues such as Clarksdale's Cathead shop for some years. Lately, he has also become recognized for his oil paintings, which reflect the round light of the cotton farmland surrounding Abel’s house. Abel had his first professional solo show at Helena, Arkansas' Delta Cultural Center in summer 2007. He also continues to construct cigar box guitars and other self-described "folk art," such as his Delta driftwood birdhouses.
His guitars, pottery and paintings are available for purchase.
He can be reached at: (662) 747-2202
His home and studio are located at: 3 Nanette Road Duncan, Mississippi 38740