Mansor Ghazalli's educational pursuits led him through Clifford School Kuala Kangsar, followed by the Institut Latihan Perguruan in Johor (1952), and then later at the Specialist Teachers Institute in Kuala Lumpur. He became one of the earliest Malay students to pursue art and design in Brighton, England, in 1962. Upon his return to Malaysia, he dedicated himself to nurturing the next generation of artists as an art teacher at Sekolah Menengah Bentara Luar in Batu Pahat, earning the title of “Most Active Art Teacher” in the Batu Pahat district upon his retirement in 1986.

He was involved in several art societies and was a member of the Malaysian Watercolour Organisation (now Malaysian Watercolour Society) since 1984, where he would occasionally showcase his works in the society’s exhibitions, gradually making a name for himself during the 1980s - 1990s. He also participated in the society’s painting expeditions to India (2000) and Jordan (2003), as well as local excursions to Kelantan, Sabah, and Pahang. Notable awards include the KEJORA Award, Johor (1984) and the Perak Best Artist Award by the Perak Arts Foundation in 2000.

Mansor Ghazalli’s solos were held at the now-defunct Kafe Kayu Manis Gallery, Kuala Lumpur in 2001 and 2008, while his retrospective - "The Art of Mansor Ghazalli 1953 – 2008" was held at RA Fine Arts, Kuala Lumpur (2009), accompanied by a published art catalogue. His works were also featured at the "Drops of Colour Exhibition" at the Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery in 2014. Mansor Ghazalli's paintings, capturing the melancholy, serenity, and joyous traditional village life, are part of the collections of Khazanah Nasional Berhad and Bank Negara.