Chris May was born and raised in England during the 1960s, the youngest of eight children. Growing up in a working-class industrial estate, Chris experienced firsthand the rhythms, challenges, and humor of everyday British life. While his surroundings included some factory landscapes, it was less about the smokestacks and more about the social fabric, where many young people, including Chris, would find their first jobs after school in local factories.

Chris's first meaningful encounter with art came at sixteen, when his father gave him six tubes of oil paint and a pad of canvas paper - a small but pivotal gift that ignited a lifelong passion. Throughout his twenties and beyond, Chris painted intermittently, experimenting with styles and materials. In the early 2000s, he became a member of the Association of British Naive Artists in St Ives, Cornwall,

exhibiting in group shows. He later sold art independently, including at group shows in Birmingham, and spent several years selling artwork directly to the public at Hyde Park Corner in London.

Encouraged by a fellow artist, Chris pursued formal education later in life, completing a foundation course in East London before earning a scholarship to Norwich University of the Arts. There, he graduated with a Fine Art degree in 2016.

Today, living overseas, Chris continues to develop a distinctive voice in his art, rooted in memory, working-class heritage, and British nostalgia. His acrylic, watercolor, and occasional oil paintings explore emotional storytelling - richly atmospheric and narrative-driven rather than photo-realist. His work invites viewers into scenes that stir shared memories of people, places, and communities often overlooked, offering warmth, authenticity, and a deep affection for the everyday.