Eileen Cooper was born in 1953 in Glossop, near Manchester. She studied fine art at Goldsmith's College and Royal College of Art, London (1971 - 1977). She has taught at a wide range of art schools including hte Royal College and the Royal Academy Schools. From 2010 - 2017 she also served as Keeper of the Royal Academy, with primary responsibility for the Schools and in 2016 she was made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Art and Art Education. Cooper is one of the major British figurative artists who emerged in the mid 1980's and contimues to have a strong and passionate commitment fo Figuration.
Eileen Cooper was represented by Art First between 1997 and 2015 and is now represented by Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London.
In 2013 Eileen Cooper was made an Honorary Doctor of Arts by Southampton Solent University.