Their pieces were scattered among the entries of the Fine Arts section in the local Show pavilion recently, now two Coonamble artists are combining forces to fill the walls of WaM (Warren Museum & Art Gallery).

Julia Borowski and Anna Kennedy have different styles, techniques and approaches to their art but they share a love of landscape, colour and the concept of home that will reveal itself in their unorchestrated exhibition that opened at the WaM on Monday 5 June.

The exhibition, curated by Warren artist Jude Fleming, is the third to be shown in the new space since it officially opened in March this year.

Although art was her strongest subject at school in England, it wasn't until well after Julia had popped in (on her 25th birthday) to visit fellow world traveller Tom Borowski at his property near Pilliga "and just didn't go home" that she eventually made her way back to it.

"I was just sketching out in the paddock, and every now and then I'd do a portrait for someone," she said. 

Years later one of her daughter-in-laws encouraged her to "pick a subject" and produce works for local markets.

"So I started painting guinea fowl and it seemed to resonate with people," said Julia. She sold her work at the newly-opened Mink and Me shop. "It didn't take long, I got a bit tired of guinea fowl within a year, and I tried my hand at cattle when I had someone want a commission for a birthday present.

"Then flowers took over," she said. "I took my inspiration from other artists and was working with glass vases, different flower colours and paints."

Julia branched into gift cards and, selling through the Outback Arts Gallery, has now done five series of them alongside her expanding range of colourful canvases and prints.

"Then I discovered Instagram a couple of years ago and it's been a really great platform for me," she said.

Since then she has contributed works to the Brisbane Grammar School art exhibition which is "a really big thing"; has paintings and ceramics at the Paperpear Art Gallery in Dubbo, and won prizes at Dunedoo's Art Unlimited competition.

"I have tried my hand at pottery but I'm so busy painting, keeping up with the gallery and commissions here and there," said Julia.

"My big paintings would take four or five days, there's a lot of layering to add substance and depth.

"And I sometimes change my mind half way through but I use acrylics and they're very forgiving so you can get away with that."

"Sometimes you get stuck but it's amazing when it flows," she said.

Julia Borowski at work. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Julia and Anna have agreed that they wouldn't select a theme for their shared exhibition at WaM.

"It's just whatever we come up with in the timeframe," said Julia.

Each artist will be contributing about twenty pieces to the exhibition.

Anna Kennedy's works will be an eclectic offering - large and small, mostly mixed media, some on canvas, some on board and a couple of lengths of fabric that she's painted using a brush, a stick or a dipper.

"My work is very different to Julia's, which is like she is, very pretty, lovely and gentle. I'm more of a ruffian I think and that comes out in my work.

"It should sit nicely together," she said. "Our environment and our personalities have come through, which is sort of inevitable."

Anna has been a professional, practising artist for many years and has built a reputation in the world of ceramics since landing in Coonamble thirteen years ago - the longest she's ever lived in one place.

"I started as a kid doing absolutely any craft from printmaking, beading, tie dyeing and moved into printmaking and mixed media with a bit of photography," she said. "When I started a Fine Arts Diploma at TAFE I loved the ceramics component so much I just switched to ceramics."

Although she has continued to practise and sell her work, it's been a while since she had to compile an exhibition.

"My last solo exhibition was probably in 2017 at Outback Arts and prior to that at the Western Plains Cultural Centre," Anna said. "Since that it's been babies. I've participated in group shows but not a body of my own work."

ABOVE: Anna Kennedy at home in her studio.

When her ceramics kiln suffered an extended breakdown, Anna took her sketching with her into painting.

"I've really enjoyed just playing - mixing up different colours and seeing them come to life on the palette," she said.

"The subject for this body of work is largely about home, about place and belonging.

"It's pretty abstract and a lot about colour and shapes. The theme of belonging remains present in most of my work, probably from a lifetime of moving around."

"Prior to Coonamble the longest I'd lived anywhere was about four years. When I was thirty I worked out I'd lived in 31 houses, we were a very transient family growing up."

One of Anna's recent works. IMAGE SUPPLIED

Anna's paintings for this exhibition include inspiration from the paddocks around her, her chair on the back porch where she sits to have a cup of coffee.

"It's a practice of gratitude of where I am," she said.

"Sometimes you crave for your friends in the city or a Thai restaurant and you can stop appreciating home in those moments. This is a collection of the moments and things that really are most precious to me."

"I don't think I would have had the same artistic journey if I'd stayed in the city. I would've got bogged down in the rat race and been stuck, like I see in some of my really super-talented friends."

"I'm grateful for these opportunities at these regional galleries and for the people who facilitate regional arts," she said. "I do appreciate where we are because it allows the space to do my work and allows space to show my work if need be."

"It's given me confidence."

The Julia Borowski & Anna Kennedy Duo Exhibition will be on display at WaM until the end of June.