Gwendolyn Muriel Stanley (later known by her married name Grant) was born on 24 May 1877 in Ipswich, Queensland, to Scottish born Montague Stanley, a station manager and his wife Maud Craig.
She was educated at the Miss Clark's School in Toowong and then studied art at Brisbane Technical College under Godfrey Rivers.
[1] Stanley worked as a governess at several stations in northern Queensland from 1902, as well as pursuing painting.
[1] The following year she travelled to Melbourne to study at the National Gallery school[4][5] under the instruction of Bernard Hall, Frederick McCubbin and Leslie Wilkie.
Stanley shared a studio with Vida Lahey, taught classes and served on the Art Society’s council.