Stewart Montgomerie was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1941. His family moved to Corner Brook in 1952. In 1961, he became artist-in-residence for Bowaters Newfoundland; the pulp and paper company provided him with a studio, from which he painted landscapes for visiting VIPs, produced illustrations for safety posters and promotional brochures, and created murals for the Glynmill Inn. He also had significant time to work on his own art. He later moved to Ferryland and became a full-time artist, creating paintings and sculptures which can be found in permanent collections across Canada.