Born November 1 1944 in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Messam attended school where he acquired the nickname "artist"as he was always drawing.  In 1963, he took a correspondence course in Commercial and Fine Art.  He worked as a hotel chef and also drove a taxi until 1985.  He has now given up all unrelated work to concentrate on his painting.  Today, he works mainly in acrylic. His work is much in demand and forms part of many private collections throughout the world.