However, after searching to discover more about his background, he's now a finalist in the 2009 Parliament of NSW Aboriginal Art Prize.

Kennedy, a semi-retired roof tiler from Ambarvale, said his cousin had found out that their great great grandmother was an Aboriginal woman, Diana Mudgee.

``My dad, who's now been dead for many years, used to drop hints,'' Kennedy said.

``But I've been a member of Tharawal Local Aboriginal Land Council for many years and been involved in native title and from what I've been told, when I was a kid you kept your mouth shut about it.

``That was the time of the stolen generation.''

Over the past fifteen years Kennedy has researched art and artefacts from Mudgee to find out more about the art of his ancestors.

``I'm searching for what I can and can't do.

``There's dots and circles from Kakadu but the area that I come from I found hands on rocks and they did some stick art.''

The Hunt , Kennedy's entry for the art prize, is an abstract painting of three figures throwing spears at animals.

``You've got to look at it for a fair while to figure out what's going on.

``My wife couldn't figure it out.

``But I once saw an abstract artwork called Arabian Camels and you couldn't make out a camel even if you were cross-eyed.

``I don't want to go to that extent.''

He is working on a painting for the Fisher's Ghost Festival inspired by time he spent teaching children to paint.

The Parliament of NSW Aboriginal Art Prize is a $20,000 prize for Aboriginal artists born or living in NSW that was developed in a partnership between the Parliament of NSW and Campbelltown Arts Centre. The finalist works will be displayed at NSW Parliament house until October 29.