[5] Suffering from a debilitating hairlessness disease, atrichia with papular lesions, Steinberg was classified 4F in both world wars.
Signed with his distinctive cursive signature, "Sam S.," Steinberg spontaneously began showing and selling original paintings in 1967.
He purchased illustration boards and paints from local stationery stores; eventually shifting to permanent magic marker pens.
His subjects ranged from animals to popular culture figures like Santa Claus and Elvis Presley, but Steinberg's favorite muses were most certainly his interpretations of cats and "boids."
After riding three New York City Subway trains to arrive at Columbia, he was usually carrying three or four fresh paintings (often as many as 20 per week), which, during the 1970s sold for $2.50 (rising to $3.50 by 1980).