Yesterday it was revealed he had been short-listed for the 2010 Archibald Prize.

Now the anxious wait is on to hear whether his ninth turn as a finalist will yield him one of the Australian art world's most prestigious prizes and the tidy sum of $50,000.

"I'm trying not to stand by the phone," Ryan told the Mercury yesterday.

"Every time it rings I feel a bit anxious."

Short-listed for his portrait of fellow artist Danie Mellor, Ryan said his choice of subject had been driven by an admiration and enjoyment of the rising star's work.

"Danie is a very interesting guy," he said.

"He's a quarter indigenous but he is red-haired and fair skinned. His art is all about the mixing of two cultures, which is something I think we are all still grappling with."

Ryan said the extensive variety of styles and subject matter made predicting a potential Archibald winner more hazardous than usual.

"You never know, you can never tell," he said.

"All you can do is your best and hope that it's enough."

The winner of the 2010 Archibald Prize will be announced on March 26.