ɐ nˈeɪɾɪv ʌv hjˈuːstən, mˈɛɹi ˈɛlən bjˈuːt stˈʌdid pˈeɪntɪŋ ɪn tˈɛksəs ænd, sˈʌbsᵻkwəntli, fɪlɐdˈɛlfiə æt ðə pˌɛnsɪlvˈeɪniə ɐkˈædəmi ʌvðə fˈaɪn ˈɑːɹts, ðˈɛn stˈeɪdʒ lˈaɪɾɪŋ æt jˈeɪl jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾiz dɹˈɑːmə skˈuːl ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti fˈaɪv.
A native of Houston, Mary Ellen Bute studied painting in Texas and, subsequently, Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, then stage lighting at Yale University's Drama School in 1925.