Michael Anderson, based in Auckland, is a painter whose artistic process delves into the complexities of painting itself. Anderson's exploration revolves around the manipulation of painting actions, investigating how they can be distorted, hidden, exaggerated, or modified by the materials and surfaces they interact with. He delves into the dynamic interplay between gestural traces, paint, and surfaces, observing how these interactions alter his original intentions and shape his navigation of formal painting elements.

Employing oil-based house paints, polyurethane, oils, and turps, Anderson creates mixtures with varying thicknesses, opacity, and viscosity. He is fascinated by the transformative properties of these mixtures as they interact and self-level when wet, contrasting with their changing characteristics as they dry.

Experimenting with a range of solid surfaces with differing absorbency, flexibility, and texture, Anderson explores various wood and metal products in his practice. In his current body of work, he incorporates objects such as wood offcuts, foil, metal sheets, and fabric onto ply and aluminum sheets. These materials serve as both a construction element for surfaces and an underlying composition, providing a dynamic interplay with the moving paint during the artistic process.