Ms James has won a string of arts prizes

An Australian-born artist based in Wales has won this year's �30,000 Jerwood Painting Prize.

Shani Rhys James, best known for her colourful self portraits, beat fierce competition to receive the honour - the UK's biggest single award for painters.

Judges singled out Ms James, 49, for "her vigorous application of paint and the human content of her work".

She received her award from comedy actor and writer Griff Rhys Jones - one of the judging panel - at a ceremony in London on Tuesday.

You have to have a third eye, and remain slightly detached from the character you are inhabiting, or from what you feel passionately about Shani Rhys James

Ms James was up against shortlist of established and talented artists - John Hoyland, John Wonnacott, Marc Vaux, Alison Watt and Suzanne Holtom.

Ms James, whose father was Welsh, was born in Melbourne where her parents worked in the theatre.

She moved to Powys nearly 20 years ago where she works from her studio near Llangadfan.

She has won a number of arts prizes including the Wales Open in 1989 and the Mostyn Open in 1991.

Detail from Black Cot by Shani Rhys James

She once said of painting: "You have to have a third eye, and remain slightly detached from the character you are inhabiting, or from what you feel passionately about."

The Jerwood Prize, first awarded in 1994, was created by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation.

Paintings by all of the finalists can be seen at the Jerwood Space, 171 Union Street, London SE1 until 7 July.

The works will tour to The Waterhall Gallery, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, from 19 July.