Beer was born in Whitstable, Kent and trained as a teacher in Chichester, where his special interest was pottery.

Moving to Cornwall in 1986 he took special responsibility for art in the school where he taught and also offered in-service art courses for teachers in the county. He co-ordinated the education working party for the St Ives Tate Action Group prior to the opening of this major gallery.

With a speciality in painting landscapes in oils using a palette knife, he has exhibited widely in mixed exhibitions throughout the UK.