Michael Smither
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Michael Smither is a New Zealand painter. Born in New Plymouth on October 29, 1939, he was educated at New Plymouth Boys' High School and Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland. While studying he worked part-time in a car spray-paint shop, an occupation which introduced Smither to the use of lacquer-based paints.
From 1960, Smither spent his time in Auckland and New Plymouth, working part-time in arts-related jobs. His first solo exhibition was in 1961. The following year he spent some time in Central Otago. In 1963 he married Elizabeth Harrington, with whom he had several children (Sarah, born 1964; Thomas, born 1967; Joseph, born 1970). Smither was the recipient of the 1970 Frances Hodgkins Fellowship from the University of Otago.
Smither works in a variety of media - notably oils, acrylics, and screenprint - and on a variety of subjects. Domestic life is a major theme of many of his works, these scenes depicted with a rigorous yet idiosyncratic realism. A similar style is brought to his landscapes, many of which depict the Taranaki landscape around which he grew up. At least one of his paintings, The Family in the Van (1971) has attained the status of an iconic painting in New Zealand.
Michael Smither is the patron of the community art gallery "Real Tart" in New Plymouth. "Real Tart" stands for real Taranaki art and shows art produced by taranaki artists only. http://tact.org.nz/realtart.htm
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