August Gay was born in Rabou, France in 1890. He immigrated to the U.S. with his family in 1900 and settled Alameda, California. Gay attended classes locally at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco and the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland.

Together with Selden Gile, Gay formed the “Society of Six” painting group, a loosely knit band of painters who shared expenses, ideas, and an appreciation of Fauvist color sensibilities. The group was active in the Bay Area from 1918 until about 1930.

Though Gay had moved to Monterey in 1919, he was an active contributor to the Six. He lived in both Monterey and Carmel and worked at Oliver’s art supply store. He continued to paint until his death in 1948.