Two new exhibitions celebrating the power of women open this weekend at The Incubator Creative Hub at Tauranga's Historic Village.

The exhibitions will be officially launched at 10am on Saturday by local MP Angie Warren Clark MP, who is a former manager of Tauranga Women's refuge.

The Incubator director Simone Anderson says the two exhibitions celebrate the positive strength of art to heal and connect people.

'The two exhibitions have good synergy, one is about not being defined by negative past experiences, and the other is how you can weave together positive encounters in one's past to inspire you.”

At The People's Gallery is a collection of art by Manawatu's Women's Art Initiative, which tells stories of the artists' personal experience of violence.

More than 70 women, aged between 20 to 67 have been involved with WAI over nine years.

Karen Seccombe, who founded WAI, says the collection challenges entrenched stereotypes of women who have experienced violence and abuse.

Art from the Women's Art Initiative.

'There's a preconception that these women are broken and depressed. People may expect it to be angry art, but in fact the exhibition does not tell stories of the violence itself, but how the women stood in their power, and resisted the violence even if that just means that at the time they took themselves to a safe place in their mind. The art is gentle and spiritual, reflecting them as strong wahine who are courageous and nurturing.”

Karen says the collection is not art therapy, but is a way of engaging the public with their kaupapa. Many of the women were already artists and creatives, and consider themselves activists who can start conversations through art and lobby for change.

'Art gives our women a voice in a way that upholds their mana and allows them to reclaim their identities. We are the experts about violence against women. But many women who have experienced violence cannot speak out in words - either because of safety concerns or because trauma makes them unable to verbalise their experiences. Or because the public does not want to listen because they do not know what to say.”

Karen says she has witnessed incredible transformations.

'Some of our women who come in can't look anyone in the eye. These same wahine are now doing solo exhibitions and can talk to others about sexual abuse.”

While there is funding and support to women in crisis, either through women's refuge, ACC or mental health services, Karen says there is little acknowledgement of how women still need support post- crisis.

'We are not defined by the violence, but it remains part of us. There are few groups like ours that provide a safe space for women post -crisis. The government has - quite rightly - directed funding towards crisis situations, but support needs to be ongoing.”

Karen is encouraged that this could change under Carmel Sepoloni as Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage.

Artists in the Women's Art Initiative see themselves as activists. Photographed here at a Against Domestic Violence protest in Wellington.

'It is great that groups like ours can now apply for funding under heritage, rather than in the health space.”

Initiatives like WAI are needed in other regions of New Zealand, says Karen, who has developed a model of practice and written a members and facilitators' guide for other insiders to violence if they want to start a women's art collective in their town.

The second exhibition, held in the Incubator gallery is by Tauranga based Chilean artist Constanza Briceno.

The abstract collection tells stories of important women in Constanza's life.

Inspired by knitting, every painting is named after a woman, that in some way is connected to at least one other piece, as though threaded together by invisible yarn. This layering of her life stories is reflected on canvas though layering and repetition of colours and patterns, evoking how women in her past have influenced and shaped her own journey.

The Incubator's Simone Anderson says everyone is welcome to come to the launch, and morning tea will be provided.

The exhibitions run until May 8.

Artist Constanza Briceno setting up for the exhibition opening Saturday.

The details:

Where: The Historic Village, 17th Avenue Tauranga

When: Launch 10am Saturday April 17 until May 8.

Exhibition 1. The People's Gallery Toi ka rere.

WAI - the Women's Art Initiative

Exhibition 2 .

Constanza Briceno -

'Knitting, Women and Stories”