In 2004 Smither was awarded the CNZM (Companion to the New Zealand Order of Merit) for Services to Art.
Michael has been painting for over 66 years and is renown as one of our most recognised master painters in New Zealand and his paintings are held innumerable public collections including Auckland Art Gallery and Te Papa Tongawera Museum of New Zealand and prominent private collections
In art history books Smither is filed under hard-edge realism as the most prominent painter of this prominent homegrown school.
During his long and prolific career, Michael Smither has found continuing inspiration from his immediate environment. This has resulted in a large body of work that is synonymous with the New Zealand landscape and culture.
He paints coastal and mountain landscapes, family and children, domestic objects and religious symbols. Michael also has a continued interest in reflections with a large collection of famous colour works that are strongly influenced by his knowledge of music and harmonics. Michael has held many prestigious one-man shows in New Zealand and Australia and has been included in many group exhibitions.
