Susan Greenstein grew up in Astoria, Queens and has lived and worked in Brooklyn since she was a college student at Pratt Institute. She graduated from Pratt in 1981, where she received her BFA in Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting, and went on to receive her MSE from Queens College in 1983. Susan spent the following 12 years illustrating childrens' books and articles for newspapers and magazines.

Following the birth of her daughter, in 1994, Susan began to teach art to young children through the organization, Studio in A School. There she enjoyed a tenure of 12 years. Since September 2009 she has been teaching both elementary & high school students at Brooklyn Friends School. Susan has found teaching keeps her excitement & wonder of art fresh and finds her young students' enthusiasm contagious.

When she is not teaching, Susan dedicates her to time painting with watercolors and drawing mostly on site around New York City. She is intrigued by the textures and patterns found in community gardens as well as in the local architecture. The Highline, in Manhattan, has become a favorite site as it is the perfect balance between architecture and plant life and how they weave themselves together. In the summer, Susan spends time in New Hampshire studying and painting a very different type of landscape and light.

Susan lives with her husband Phil who is also a painter, their daughter, Gina and their cat Kalo.