Peter Ewart was born on April 7, 1918, in Kisbey, Saskatchewan, but grew up in Montreal where his family moved when he was a small child. Upon completion of his formal education, he studied art in Montreal, and later in New York. World War II interrupted these studies, and it was during service with the R.C.A.F. that he was stationed for a time in British Columbia. He decided that after his discharge, he would return to live and work in the province which had so impressed him with the variety and beauty of its scenery.

His paintings have been exhibited by the Royal Academy (London England), the Royal Canadian Academy, the Canadian National Exhibition and the Mid-Century Exposition of Canadian Painting. He had over 40 one man exhibitions, and his paintings are represented in numerous corporate and private collections in Canada and abroad.