22nd November 2007
Benjamin Sullivan has been announced as the winner of this year's Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize. The winning diptych New life is a celebration of the artist's new life with his girlfriend after moving to Haverhill, Suffolk. It depicts an intimate Sunday morning scene inside their new house, an external painting of their street appearing below. Benjamin is receiving £15,000 and an engraved gold medal.

Benjamin Sullivan - New Life New Life 2007 short listed prize winner
The Young Artist award of £2,500 was given to These screens by Poppy Jones, who was a runner up in the 2006 exhibition. The tunnel of love by Dick French, Lord Slynn of Hadley and the sea holly by Jennifer McRae, and Emma with cactus by Antony Williams, have each been awarded £1,000 runner up awards along with The young Oxford undergraduate by Susan Wilson, and Andrea by Neale Worley.
Now in its third year, the Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize champions the wealth of otherwise unseen and underrated art in the UK today. The prize has been joined this year by a new co- sponsor, Linklaters, and media co-sponsor; The Spectator. Visual art critic of The Spectator, Laura Gascoigne, joined the panel of six judges selecting an exhibition of works from over 800 nationwide submissions. Other judges include artists Ken Howard RA, Daphne Todd OBE PPRP, and BP Portrait Award winner, James Lloyd.
The exhibition of selected works is in the Painters' Hall, 9 Little Trinity Lane, London EC4V 2AD from 21 November to 1 December 2007 10 am - 4 pm Monday to Saturday, admission free. A series of free lunchtime events are taking place within the gallery space including a wine tasting, live music, and a talk by a collector.
The Saint Clair Gallery will show some of the artists represented in the 2007 exhibition in their gallery in Connecticut, USA in Spring 2008
Prize winners
Benjamin Sullivan has won several awards with the NEAC, and Royal Society of Portrait Painters, to both of which he is a member.
Poppy Jones recently graduated from Falmouth College of Arts. Poppy won a runner up award in last year's Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize.
Dick French studied at the RCA, and has a forthcoming one man show at Gallery 12, London.
Jennifer McRae won first prize in The Hunting Art Prize in 1998. She has works in the National, and Scottish National Portrait Galleries.
Antony Williams R.P P.S exhibits regularly in the BP Portrait Awards and RA Summer Exhibitions. He has works in the National Portrait Gallery and Queen's College Oxford.
Susan Wilson was born and grew up in New Zealand. She taught at Chelsea School of Art from 1988-93.
Neale Worley has won previous prizes with the NEAC, of which he is a member. He has paintings in the collection of HRH The Prince of Wales