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James Cowie initially embarked upon an English degree at Aberdeen University before deciding to take up art as a career studying at Glasgow School of Art from 1912 alongside Archibald McGlashan and Robert Sivell. In 1915 he took up a post as art master at Belshill Academy in Lanarkshire where he produced many studied of his pupils. In 1935 he became head of Painting at Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen and in 1937 he was appointed as the warder of Hospitalfield House, Arbroath retiring from this post in 1948 and moving to Edinburgh. He was influential on many students, not least William Littlejohn RSA. He exhibited at the RSA from 1916 until 1956, he became an Associate Member of the RSA in 1936 and an Academician in 1943. Cowie served as Secretary of the RSA from 1948 to 1952.