Francis Cranmer Greenman enrolled at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C. at the age sixteen and won its gold medal four years later.  She went on to study in New York City with William Merrit Chase and later Robert Henri.  The influence Henri’s teachings can be seen in Greenman’s work.  Though she spent a fair amount of time planning her works, she completed her paintings rapidly in order to capture her subjects' true expressions.  Throughout her career, Greenman maintained a permanent studio at the Hampshire Arms Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota as well as studios in Washington, D.C., New York City, and Hollywood, California.  She is known for her numerous portraits, particularly those of celebrities, and it is said that she used to sing as she painted to help relax her subjects.  In 1954, she wrote an autobiography entitled, Higher Than the Sky.  Greenman taught at the Minneapolis School of Art from 1941-43 and was also an art columnist and critic for the Minneapolis Sunday Tribune (today's Star Tribune).