Max Thomson was born in Wanganui in 1945, and has a long family connection with the Wanganui river and the West Coast. He moved with his family to Auckland in the early 1960s.

Max has exhibited his work in many group exhibitions and has had five solo shows. His formative years spent in provincial New Zealand have had a profound effect on his choice of subject matter. This is evidenced in his constant return to the natural landscape for inspiration.