Micheal Swank graduated from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a BFA – Printmaking and Design in 1998. In his design career he has been Art Director for California Tan (packaging), San Francisco Examiner (Hearst), Miller Huber Marketing, Joie de Vivre Hotels, S.F. Business Times, Disney, Dance Magazine, Pasadena Weekly, and others.

Micheal began to teach Graphic and Web Design in 2001 and decided to pursue teaching as a full time profession. In 2006, he completed his Masters in Technology from Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA. He led within the design education community as Academic Department Director, Graphic Design and Web Design Interactive Medias at the Art Institute of California Inland Empire, Art Institute of California San Francisco, and Associate Dean of Academics Art Institute of Houston – North.

In January 2012, after a significant car accident caused him to reflect on his dreams to pursue his art, he left his position as Dean to live abroad, travel, learn, create, and ignite his studio art. He has since lived in China, Mexico City DF, spent two years focussing his practice in Ventura, CA and in 2018 re established his studio in Mexico City DF. He is the director and founder of PRPG.mx a residency and exhibition incubator for CDMX.