This is an interesting exhibition of but a fraction of the work of one of NZ's best and most diversified artists. The four different subjects exhibited - portraits religious, nude and rocks - are no more than an introduction to the wide range of subjects Smither has painted, with varying success, but unvarying intensity. He has also painted watercolour landscapes, 'sensuous' landscapes of bills or snow, schmaltzy landscapes of rivers and mountains, far away land with magical ominous bills or near land with concrete (,) rocks or abstract rock pools. Landscapes from pretty parks to sublime, even religious hills. Landscapes, almost always meticuously and effectively painted, but in the end they are no more than landscapes.

At their most dramatic there is really no more in them than the intrinsic, drama of the paint. In this respect Smither is similar to Brent Wong, Alvin Pankhurst, and others, who exploit paint, especially grey paint, creating an imaginary tension, creating a superficially exciting picture which sooner or later must be found to be shallow.

Smither has a genuine direction to concentrate in, but he's not committed to it yet. His strongest paintings and those which will last are his people pointings, especially those in which he paints people religiously. Just as the best painting in the exhibition is undoubtedly the 'Christ', so are the paintings of his children, his family, and of specific biblical subjects the most powerful of his oeuvre. Portraits are a recent departure for Michael Smither and they may prove fruitful. But in a painting like the 'Christ' he has learned from the acheivement of expressionists such as Beckmann and Dix. His painting does not solve the problem of expressionist theme and composition painted in hard-edge style. In this respect the stained glass pictured is more successful. But there is all the humour, drama, and life-love of a Stanly Spencer which means there may be a great futrue in this style if Smither wants to commit himself to it.