Born on November 1, 1944, in Montego Bay, Messam attended a local secondary school where - because he was always drawing - he acquired the nickname "Artist". In 1963, he took a correspondence course in Commercial and Fine Art. He worked as a taxi driver and as a chef, before giving up all unrelated work to fully concentrate on his painting. His work, much in demand in the United States and the wider Caribbean, forms part of many private collections throughout the world.