Kin Hing James Sum was born in Penang, Malaysia, in 1944. He studied painting from the age of eight. After leaving his homeland, he studied Fine Art in Dublin during 1965, and later continued to study at the Sir John Cass School of Art in London, taking courses in watercolour, oil and life drawing. In 1971 he graduated from the Brixton School of Building, having studied interior and graphic design.
Over the years Sum has held many exhibitions at venues such the Foyles Art Gallery, the Ming Ai Institute and the Royal Academy of Art. James Sum regularly travels to China, the Far East and Europe to further develop his style. He also collects 19th and 20th Century Chinese painting.