Here is a sample from his biography on Wikipedia:
Harry Everett Smith (29 May 1923, Portland, Oregon – 27 November 1991, New York City) was an American archivist, ethnomusicologist, student of anthropology, record collector, experimental filmmaker, artist, bohemian and mystic. Smith is a well-known figure in several fields. People who know him as a filmmaker often do not know of his 1952 Anthology of American Folk Music, while folk music enthusiasts often do not know he was "the greatest living magician" according to Kenneth Anger.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Everett_Smith
Here is a compilation of 3 of his films:
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wYJ51nSXRQ
These films are certainly very abstract and surreal. It goes from distinct colours and shapes moving on solid backgrounds to heavy and complex patterns filling the screen. A lot of the elements change in to something else rather than cutting from one to another. The pace is certainly rapid and nothing is still for less than a second. The shapes and colours are certainly not perfect or smooth. They have a distinct roughness and handmade feel which is the type of mood I am trying to capture in my project.
My favourite part is where there are coloured circles moving across the screen. A big one moves left and right and from the top comes many smaller ones and this repeats but differently each time. It has a consistent and appealing flow from the movement of the shapes and the colours. The background changes are really erratic but the shapes move fluently and creates a nice contrast.