Christopher was born in Kampala, Uganda then, as a young child, came to live in Canada via Boston, Massachusetts. He pursued his desire to become an artist, graduating in 1993 with Honours from the OCAD Fine Arts program. 

At OCAD’s overseas campus in Florence, Chris developed an enduring interest in the masters of the Italian Late Gothic, Renaissance and Mannerist periods. While in Toronto, he was deeply influenced by the renowned muralist Carmen Cereceda. Concurrently he became absorbed by the works of artists such as Stanley Spencer, Paul Nash and George Grosz.