Sue de Beer received her MFA in Fine Art from the Columbia University School of Art, and her BFA from the Parsons School of Design. She has taught at the New York University School of Art.

Her work has been exhibited widely, including exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum, the New Museum for Contemporary Art, Deitch Projects, and the Jack Tilton Gallery in New York City, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions and the Sandroni Rey Gallery in Los Angeles, the Center of Contemporary Art in Seattle, the Gallerie Jousse Seguin in Paris, and Joao Ferriera Fine Art in Cape Town South Africa, and others.

De Beer has been reviewed in major newspapers including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Cape Times, and has also received reviews in such art publications as Art in America, Artforum, Flash Art, Lacanian Ink, Art Issues, and Art Text.