Erin Elman was born in Brooklyn, NY and was raised by two remarkable New York City public school teachers who though not artists, were committed to exposing their daughters to all of the great art and culture of New York City.  She studied painting and printmaking at Carnegie Mellon University, where she received a BFA in Art and received an MA in Art Education and an MFA in Book Arts/Printmaking, both from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.  Elman also studied abroad at Temple University in Rome where she fell in love with Etruscans, ruins, and all things Italian. 

Elman has artwork in numerous public and private collections, including the Tate London.  Elman lives in a stone cottage in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia.  She was a dean of Graduate & Professional Studies at the University of the Arts from 2008 - 2024.