Phillippines-born Spirovksi’s oil-on-canvas portrait of Indigenous didgeridoo virtuoso William Barton was selected after 40,842 visitors to the Art Gallery of NSW voted during the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2025 exhibition.

Spirovski is a four-time Archibald Prize finalist and sat down to paint Barton, a Kalkadunga man and acclaimed composer, while recovering from a nerve injury.

She said painting him using her fingers instead of a brush made her feel “alive in a way I hadn’t for a very long time”.

“When it came time to work on William’s portrait, I played his composition Birdsong at dusk. As the music began, my hand set the brush aside and I dipped my finger into the soft, pliant paint,” she said.

“I turned the volume up, the music guiding me. Without a brush, painting was almost painless.”

The two first crossed paths in October last year during a concert featuring Barton and Spirovski’s partner, concert pianist Simon Tedeschi.

Spirovski said she was immediately taken with Barton’s presence and was “certain” she would paint him.

“I am infinitely grateful to William for allowing me to paint him and so humbled by everyone’s responses to the work,” Spirovski added.

“It has been a difficult few years and this whole experience is the most beautiful reprieve and reward.”

Spirovski is the ninth woman to win the People’s Choice Award since its inception in 1988.

A mostly self-taught artist, Spirovki was also a finalist in the 2017 Archibald Prize for her painting John Bell at home, in 2018 for Villains always get the best lines and in 2019 for Meg and Amos (and Art).

“Congratulations to Loribelle Spirovski for her well-deserved win and for her magnetic portrait of William Barton, rendered with expressive paint strokes and lit by Barton’s radiant smile,” said Art Gallery of NSW director Maud Paige.

The finalists in Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2025 will be exhibited at the Art Gallery until August 17.