Henry Kallem was born in Philadelphia in 1912 and began studying art at a young age with his father, Morris Kallem. In the 1930s, he moved to New York City to study at the National Academy of Design. In 1946, Kallem continued his studies at the Hans Hoffman School of Fine Arts. He first came to Monhegan Island in Maine with his brother, Herbert Kallem, in the early 1950s where he eventually built a home and studio. During his career, Kallem had many solo exhibitions and regularly exhibited his paintings with the Casein Society and Pennsylvania Academy. His paintings were also shown at the Corcoran Biennial, the Carnegie International, and the International Watercolor Show at the Brooklyn Museum.