Blue Mountains artist Mathew Lynn has been awarded the Packing Room Prize in conjunction with the 2013 Archibald Prize for his portrait of writer Tara Moss.

Tara Moss is a novelist, television presenter, journalist and former model. Since 1999 she has written nine best-selling novels, which have been published in 18 countries in 12 languages. Her non-fiction writing has appeared in numerous publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian Literary Review and The Australian. She has earned her private investigator credentials (Cert III) from the Australian Security Academy and is currently undertaking a Doctorate of Social Sciences at the University of Sydney.

Moss is an outspoken advocate for the rights of women and children. She has been an ambassador for the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children since 2000, a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2007, and UNICEF Patron for Breastfeeding for the Baby Friendly Heath Initiative (BFHI) since 2011.

Mathew Lynn has found Moss’s public advocacy and unique public persona very inspiring. Recently becoming friends, he says he wanted to paint a very straightforward, direct and open portrait that also celebrates her physical presence and style, and that would particularly express her natural engagement, gentleness, and even a little of her fierce determination and strength.

He also wanted to refer to the very strong effect a recent exhibition in Paris had on him during his working trip last year – L’Impressionnisme et la mode at the Musée d’Orsay – particularly the works of Manet and his responses to fashion and the portrait.

Lynn has been a finalist in the Archibald Prize on 12 previous occasions. He has been a runner-up twice and has also been voted People’s Choice.

The Packing Room Prize gives the Gallery staff who receive the entries for the Archibald a chance to vote for their favourite Archibald portrait. This is the Gallery’s head storeman Steve Peter’s 30th Archibald and the 22nd Packing Room Prize.

Mathew receives $1000 and a $500 ANZ debit card. We are very pleased to be sponsoring Australia’s most popular portraiture prize for a fourth year, said ANZ Chairman John Morschel. At ANZ, we say that we live in your world and our support for the Archibald is part of our commitment to the community of New South Wales, its thriving arts sector and our customers.

Finalists for the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes were also announced today and published on the Gallery’s website:

• Archibald Prize 2013 finalists
• Wynne Prize 2013 finalists
• Sulman Prize 2013 finalists

This year there were 868 Archibald, 773 Wynne and 626 Sulman entries.

The exhibition opens to the public on Saturday 23 March 2013.