Elyse Cohen was born in New York, and began studying art at the young age of eight at the Brooklyn Museum. She continued her artistic education at several well known New York art schools including The Art Student’s League, Parsons School of Design and The New School of Social Research.

Cohen’s early inspirations came from New York City itself, and much of her early subject matter reflects this. Although she began her painting career with oil on canvas, she soon took on the challenge of using water color. “There is no comparison...to the color and luminosity I can get with water color, even though water color is a much harder medium in which to work. People have no idea how difficult it is. The paper is totally unforgiving,” says Cohen.

In 1987, Cohen relocated to Southern California with her family seeking a warmer climate, and was soon inspired to create a series of Florals, and City and Park scenes. Still, her strong ties to New York led to a commission to paint the Manhattan Skyline based on a picture taken by NY Mayor Rudolph Giuliani - it hangs in New York City Hall.

Cohen's work is collected and exhibited around the world, and is displayed in numerous corporate as well as private collections and museums. Truly in love with painting, she says that her only artistic triumph is that of the "mastery of my craft through hard work, sacrifice and pure devotion." Saying that she feels she does not do anything that God has not all ready done, Cohen explains, "I simply copy".