Ekaterina and Vladimir Khlebnikov had two daughters and three sons, and only the youngest, Vera, survived her parents. At the age of 23, Boris, who struggled with mental illnesses, passed away; at 33, Alexander went missing in action during the war; Viktor-Velimir died of gangrene before he reached the age of 37; in 1924, his elder sister Ekaterina died, unable to cope with the post-revolutionary world. Their large family apartment was empty.

The Khlebnikovs had one joy in their lives — their grandson May, who was taken to Astrakhan by his mother, Vera, when he was four years old. Grandmother, grandfather and grandson quickly grew fond of each other, and their warm relationship was captured by the artist in her drawing.

May showed artistic inclinations as a boy. His official surname was Miturich-Khlebnikov and he indeed inherited his talent from both parents. Eventually, he developed his own unique and recognizable style. The paintings by his father, mother and their friends surrounded May virtually from birth.

Vera Vladimirovna outlined her pedagogical position towards her grandson early on, stating that she “will not trouble <herself> with raising an accountant, but will devote <herself> only to the artist, ”— from the memoirs of Pyotr Miturich. The first drawings of May were carefully preserved, and his father made plaster molds from animals the boy sculpted with plasticine.

From an early age, May viewed his creative work as a profession. Vera Khlebnikova recalled an episode from May’s childhood, when he decided to send his drawings to the “Pioneer” magazine and use the money to buy toys he liked. At that time, his father stopped him, asking, “Son! Never paint for money.” In the fourth grade, May and his friend were featured on the pages of the magazine with their invention — a moving tram with paper passengers. As a reward, both received a diploma and a chocolate bar.

At the age of 13, during a trip to the Caucasus, May created his first oil-on-canvas. His first painting experiences consisted in imitating the works of his mother, with whom he spent a lot of time. Pyotr Vasilyevich recalled that it was Vera who “with blood and thought conveyed to <May> her sense of the world.”