Chloe Blades’ exhibition "I put the flowers there so it looked like I had my life together" opened at He Waka Tuia on Friday.
The exhibition of paintings centres around new motherhood and the challenges it brings.
He Waka Tuia manager Sarah Brown said she was eager for the public to see it.
"We are incredibly excited to bring Chloe’s wit, joy and observation of what it means to be a woman to He Waka Tuia."
Her works were striking through their use of colour, with titles and texts that indicated more emotionally complex themes, Ms Brown said.
"The objects and artworks within the exhibition hint at the complex juggle modern women are expected or feel pressured to undertake."
Ms Blades said she hoped the exhibit would open the door for other female artists.
"Men have taken up a lot of space in the arts over the centuries . . . what could a woman achieve if given the brush?"
She was glad women in art and their work had been taken seriously.
"Women are creating art that shows a different perspective and experience to the one that’s been written about in history or is expected of them."
A book manager in Auckland, Ms Blades said she related a lot of her work to literature.
She described having to balance raising a family, managing a book store and painting as "just squeezing as much excitement out of this short life" as she could. "Let me be honest with you, I am drowning."
Despite that, she described her work as "colourful, abstract, optimistic and imaginative" and said her honest portrayal of joy and chaos had connected with many women.
"It makes me want to cry the fact that my work would be described as something so meaningful."
The exhibition runs until June 28. — Allied Media
