Mr Lewis was last week celebrating his acceptance as a finalist in National Capital Art Prize with a work that had its inception about 10 years ago when he visited the northwest of NSW.

To make the final, Mr Lewis work 'The Conversation' beat around 1000 entrants contesting the open category, one of three the competition offers with each offering $15,000 prizemoney to the winner.

Mr Lewis describes himself as a traditional landscape painter so the richer colours featured in 'The Conversation' a scene featuring two shearers near an outback shearing shed, is a step slightly wider than his style.

"We had a painting trip probably 10 years ago, we went from Warren all the way out to Cameron Corner and back, and this painting was done on Wanaaring, between Bourke and Tibooburra, there was an old shearing shed there and some quarters next to it and we were allowed in on the property and we painted there and photographed," Mr Lewis.

"I keep the reference photographs, I never throw anything away and we did a lot of painting on the spot out around that area. I just keep them.

"I painted it earlier this year then I added a few things to it about a week before the entries closed which was not long ago."

Mr Lewis said he took note of the varied, more abstract styles featured in last year's inaugural Capital Art Prize final and tweaked 'The Conversation' for the show.

"I just exaggerated colour a little bit and played with it. When we were out there, there wasn't a blade of grass on the place it was that dry, the ground was red and dry, no water, no grass, no nothing.

"A lot of times in these art shows traditional art doesn't get in, the exaggerated ones tend to get it sometimes. I don't know whether that's right or wrong but that's how I do them these days."

Mr Lewis works mainly in oils on stretched linen.

"That's how I see myself, impressions of my work. I'll play around with things but that's what it's based on, what I see around me."

The National Capital Art Prize is a not-for-profit company established in Canberra in March last year. It showcases Australian artists and celebrates their skill and diversity through an annual national painting competition designed to help establish Canberra as Australia's cultural hub.

The make the finals a panel of judges sifted through round 1000 entries before picking around 50 for each of the categories, the other two of which are First Nations and Sustainability.

There is also a people's choice award with voting now open at nationalcapitalartprize.com.au.

Last year more than 25,000 votes were received.

An exhibition will also be held at the Fitters' Workshop in Canberra from September to October.

"Art competitions are funny. It's like when I've judge art shows. It comes down to opinion. This is the same, it comes down to someone else's opinion. It's very subjective," Mr Lewis said adding he was happy to have the chance to exhibit in a high-profile show..

"I've won a few people's choice awards and a lot of the time I sell the work. I think that's more of an indication."

"People see your work. That's the advantage for me. I just like the painting so I do them and hope for the best. It comes down the judges decision, there's nothing you can do about that. Just being accepted is a privilege in itself."

Mr Lewis has lived in Orange all his life and has painted fulltime at his Ophir Road studio for the past 25 years.

He is currently exhibiting 'New Beginnings' at Audrey Fine Art in Pyrmont.

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