Southland The Ensign Abstraction, vibrant colour and humour are the hallmarks of a new exhibition at the Eastern Southland Gallery. Michael Armstrong’s "Paintings from a Recent Past" presents a selection of recent canvas paintings that showcase the Timaru artist’s distinctive expressive figures, dynamic line work, and vibrant, energetic use of colour. "This exhibition highlights Michael Armstrong’s distinctive visual language — where bold colour, expressive figures, and energetic line work converge to create works that are both playful and incisive," gallery programmes officer Marcella Geddes said in a statement. Armstrong, a graduate of the University of Canterbury and recipient of the 1984 Frances Hodgkins Fellowship, has exhibited regularly since 1969 and previously taught at Aoraki Polytechnic (now Ara Institute). His accolades include a QE2 Arts Council grant and the 1990 CSA Guthrey Travel Award, and his work is represented in major public collections throughout New Zealand.…