Rory was raised in the Highlands of Scotland, in an area full of Pictish-Keltic stonework and archaeology. He attended Inverness Royal Academy in Scotland and the Aberdeen School of Art for one year but instead left these formal studies behind for more hands-on study in metalcraft and stone masonry. Rory later settled in New Zealand where he lives and works on the West Coast; his fascination with Keltic art and its iconography continues to influence his work.