Beattie-Brown was born in the Parish of Haddington .
He found English subjects for his paintings in Surrey, Kent, and Yorkshire, but his main themes were Scottish highland landscapes. He was a pioneer among the Scottish 'out-of-door' artists, frequently completing his pictures directly from nature. In 1871 he was elected an associate of the Royal Scottish Academy, and in 1884 an Academician. His diploma picture, dated 1883, is a characteristic highland landscape, 'Coire-na-Faireamh,' now in the Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh. representative works by him are in the public galleries at Liverpool, Manchester, Oldham, and Bolton. He was a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Academy, Glasgow and other Scottish exhibitions. In his later years he adopted a more glowing scheme of colour than in his earlier work; but his pictures were always noticeable for their realistic line and tone, and for their technical excellence.