Michael S. Ryan has been a painter for 50 plus years. Trained in the late 60s and early 70s as an abstract painter, he has concentrated in the last 30 years on colorist paintings, featuring both landscape and figurative subject matter. He studied under Byron Burford, Joseph Patrick, and Michael Tyzack at the University of Iowa, as well as, at Old Dominion University and Drake University. Ryan is a teacher, as well as, a full time painter.  He is widely known for his colorist theories.

Ryan is honored to be included in numerous institutional, business, and private collections. He is very proud to be included in both the University of Iowa, the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art permanent collection, Kirkwood College, Simpson College, Drexel University, Healing Arts Collection in Philadelphia, and the Lowe Art Center.