Put it to a vote, the pair decided.

Ballots were set to be cast between the pair at the Fire Station Arts Centre last night where each artist exhibited seven works painted in seven towns: Geurie, Mudgee, Rylstone, Dubbo, Wellington, Gulgong and Goolma.Ms Julian, a Geurie resident, bonded with Mudgee's Mr Paine in December last year over a fight about whose town was best.

"I'm pretty competitive," Ms Julian said. The artist has only begun painting "heaps" in the past year and has already had an exhibition of oil paintings, Fields and Flowers.

When asked to describe her rival's style, she replied: "His is really perfect. It looks exactly as it should."

Ms Julian, who counts Australian artist Margaret Preston as an influence, said an inability to draw straight lines had held her back.

"My style is kind of more like slip slop slap," she said.

Putting their competition aside, the pair joined together to fill an entire wall of the gallery with sketches, an idea that came from Archibald-prize winner Ben Quilty.

Both Ms Julian and Mr Paine divide their time between art and professional life.

Ms Julian doubles as a lawyer, while Mr Paine works as a journalist at the Mudgee Guardian newspaper.

Their #centralwest exhibition runs from until February 14.