Brodie Shearer was born in Montreal in 1911.
His arts studies commenced in 1934 at Sir George Williams College (now Concordia University) followed by studio classes with Adam Sherriff Scott (1887-1980).
In 1942, Shearer enrolled in the classes of Herman Heimlich, a graduate of The Budapest Academy of Fine Arts.
Heimlich's ideas about modern art revolutionized Shearer's understanding of artistic possibilities. Shearer was now identified with the modern European movement.
By 1945, Brodie Shearer was working as a professional artist and was conducting his own art classes. By 1952 his work in private galleries was gaining critical attention in the Montreal French and English press.
That same year Shearer also began working in metal sculpture and in 1955, with his wife and two children, he went to France where he spent a year painting and visiting art galleries and museums.
In 1958, Shearer moved to Ottawa with his family and continued to pursue his career in painting and welded metal sculptures. For twelve years, he was an instructor at the Ottawa Municipal Art Center (now the Ottawa School of Art).
In 1983, Mr. Shearer was appointed to the Ottawa Arts Policy Advisory Committee.
In 1987 the artist produced a small book entitled "Making Sense of Modern Art" where he proposed his ingredients to create a visual work of art. A retrospective exhibition of 50 years of his work was held in December 1992 at the Gallery at Arts Court (now the Ottawa Art Gallery).
In 2003, the City Hall Art Gallery gave an important exhibition of his works entitled "Harmonic Adventures. The Art of Brodie Shearer".
Brodie Shearer, who died in 2004, had numerous exhibitions in Canada and Europe throughout his career.