Michael Arcieri graduated from the Art Institute of Houston in 1987 and moved to New Orleans, where he resided for seven years. During that time he studied realism, and by the mid-1990s national galleries began representing his work. Selected works were then included in the 20th Anniversary Exhibit at the Contemporary Art Center (CAC) in New Orleans, Louisiana.
In summer 1999 Arcieri moved to Baltimore, Maryland, into a studio converted from a 150-year old foundry on the edge of historic Baltimore City. There he began creating larger works, and his national recognition grew. Arcieri was awarded an Individual Artist Award from the Maryland State Arts Council in 2003. That same year Arcieri moved back to his hometown of Houston, where he now lives and paints in The Heights. His work is included in the permanent collection of the City of New Orleans as well as private and corporate collections across the United States.