“It was a tough year with boys, and life in general just being rubbish – I’ve never had it that badly before,” she says.

“But it’s really good in a way because it makes you put things into perspective. My work definitely reflects that.”

Don’t expect Bugeja’s art project Hola Holga! to be all doom and gloom (nor the artist herself – Bugeja has a tendency to laugh self-consciously when describing how “crap” 2011 had been).

In fact her ’60s-inspired images printed on knotted panels of wood are almost serene in their nostalgia, with the grainy wood giving her Holga images a retro feel.

Perhaps one of the most interesting things about this show is that Bugeja is co-exhibiting with artist and friend Naomi Waller (Tokyo Crash Hat), who convinced Bugeja to return to art “after a couple of cocktails”.

Bugeja had previously dropped out of art school after she realised that studying made it impossible to actually fund her art.

Waller’s own work could not be further from Bugeja’s ’60s snaps. “Naomi loves Japanese anime, she’s pretty obsessed with robots at the moment,” Bugeja says. “She’s been working on perspex printing, so when it’s assembled it looks 3D.”

The collaboration between the artists works surprisingly well. Bugeja’s dreamy photographic prints combined with Waller’s quirky, bright robotic creations form a relationship that probably reflects the closeness of the women themselves. “Our styles are completely different, but seeing each other putting so much effort into the work is really motivating,” Bugeja says. ‘‘She’s really encouraged me to get my artwork out there.”

As well as religious iconography, her Maltese upbringing and traditional Mexican Day of the Dead ceremonies (“It’s an absolute mess what I like!”), Bugeja has a passion for classic architecture.

Apart from wanting to take a trip to Las Vegas to snap the classic 1950s era signs, Bugeja was also inspired by her daily walk to work as a project officer at Melbourne University’s Neuroscience Institute.

“Every day would be different, putting sunnies on because my eyes were red from crying, or bouncing along and listening to music. I just thought what a beautiful thing to capture,” she says. “That walk helped me every day in a different way.”

Hola Tokyo! is on from March 2-11 at No Vacancy Project Space, Tenancy 32, The Atrium, Federation Square, city.