Michael Neary was born in Bloomington, Indiana in 1951. With his parents and sister. He grew up in the suburbs of substantial America cities. He graduated from Kansas City Art Institute in 1975 and received an MFA degree from Indiana University in 1981.
In addition to his continuing efforts as a fine artist, he has worked as a sign and billboard painter and has taught in Corrections Education Programs for Indiana State University and Oakland City College. He currently lives with Amy MacLennan and a cat in Lebanon, Illinois.