Artist Robyn Ross braved wet weather to carry her bubble-wrapped, two-metre squared painting from her suburban Sydney home to the Art Gallery of NSW to submit it for this year’s Archibald Prize.

“I decided to do public transport on my gold senior’s Opal card which cost me $2.50 to get here ... it is a hell of a lot cheaper than a courier,” the three-time Archibald entrant said.

“We got so many people laughing, asking questions, wishing us luck... our bus driver even turned around and dropped us off straight in front of the Art Gallery of NSW because he didn’t want us walking in the rain,” said Ross, who was met at Circular Quay by her subject, Sarah Jane Adams, for the final stretch of the journey.

Adams, an antique jewellery dealer, designer and model who started the hashtag #mywrinklesaremystripes, was so overcome when she saw her portrait for the first time in the Art Gallery loading dock she burst into tears.

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“I’m so emotional – I love it. She’s captured everything: my jewellery, wrinkles, and veiny old hands. It’s me, and it’s the truth,” said Adams.

Adams is also a star of Ageless which airs on Nine (the owner of this masthead), a TV show that aims to redefine ageing. She hopes that she and Ross can prove you’re never too old to pursue your passion.

Overcoming adversity is a strong theme of the 2024 edition of the Archibald Prize, Australia’s oldest and best-loved portrait award. As the entries mounted up in the loading dock of the Art Gallery of NSW ahead of Friday’s deadline, you could tell a lot about recent events in Australia by the faces painted.

As well as the usual sports and TV star subjects, there is a Palestinian-Australian activist wearing a keffiyeh and numerous mental health advocates. Trauma is beneath the brushstrokes of many of the portraits.