Born in Peoria, Illinois, Susan Marie Coyle earned a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree before receiving a Masters of Art in 1986, launching her into a new direction making abstract art and landscape paintings. She worked as an art instructor for various institutions, and throughout her teaching career, Best worked as a studio artist, presenting her artwork in galleries across the country. She was visiting artist and instructor with Longue Vue House and Gardens in New Orleans, and in 1997 was a recipient of the Percent for Art Award from the City of New Orleans.