Barbara Hancock illustrates the beauty of the simple things in life

Her latest exhibit, Heading in the Same Direction, is set to open in Roma on June 14, showcasing the vast landscapes, changing seasons, interesting people and rich history she has witnessed in her years living and working on the land.

Working from a renovated shearing shed on their property at Felton, Mrs Hancock said her exhibition was motivated by life with her husband, Garth, in rural Queensland and advice her mother gave her as a teenager.

"When I was young, I remember asking my mother what makes a great marriage," Mrs Hancock said.

"Her answer was, 'make sure you are both heading in the same direction'.

"At the time, I felt this was an inadequate and unsatisfactory response to a deeply profound question, but now, 42 years of marriage later, I finally think I know what she's talking about."

Mrs Hancock said much of their lives had been taken up with running their properties across Queensland and NSW and raising four kids, but she always found time to sneak in a bit of painting.

"I like to escape into it and just get carried away; I feel really in touch with the landscapes," she said.

"I've been part of it for years, we work in the landscape, we know it intimately, and there's something even deeper than that.

"There's a real feeling of a connection, so that's something that really comes out when you're painting."

Mrs Hancock said the escapism of painting had gotten her through a lot of droughts. "I do like to paint about rain, even if there's been none," she said.

"You've got this inbuilt thing in your brain that rain is such an integral part of our lives that I definitely paint it.

"Sometimes even I don't know that I'm painting it but it'll come out there, whether it be a storm or whatever, there's always something that's there because there's a real need for it."

The exhibit will showcase 25 pieces of acrylic artwork that Mrs Hancock has pulled together over the past few months.