Michael Smither

Michael Duncan Smither was born in New Plymouth, Taranaki. He attended Elam Art School in Auckland 1959 -1960.

He exhibits paintings, sculptures and integrates his musical expertise in his art. Now he lives on the Coromandel and travels throughout New Zealand exploring landscapes, art galleries and collections of paintings.

In the 1960’s Michael began to explore the possibility of making screenprints, having spent his early years witnessing his father, Bill Smither, working in that medium. Michael worked with Bill in his basement studio over the next 15 years making approximately 250 different image screenprints.

Earlier works were made as multiples without signatures and sold from $3 – $6 each. Screenprinting at this stage was not considered an “art” medium. Later, at the request of many people, the signed editions began.
In 1985, after the death of Bill Smither, several years went by before Michael began making prints again, this time working the screen himself.

The prints, while still using the topographical features of Taranaki, were more concerned with his developing theories of how colour related to sound, which culminated with the ‘After Seurat’ series printed in his present studio at Otama. These prints and all subsequent prints are signed and numbered in the traditional manner.