The West Launceston painter has, in a short time away from the working world, decided to take his hobby up a notch: he's taking on the The Archibald Prize, the country's most famous and sought after portrait painting honour - the winner of which takes home $100,000.

It might come across as a little over-confident - or even naive - to enter so early in an artistic career into such a prestigious, big competition, but Thigpen - who was born and lived much of his life in the United States - doesn't fit that description.

He's endearingly affable, courtesy of the Virginia notes of his accent; there's nothing at all brash about him - "I just paint what I see."

"You know, somehow, my portraits all come out looking like the people I've painted," Thigpen said.

The result is anything but naive: he has an undoubted knack for portraiture - his Archibald entry speaks to it.

In his living room in West Launceston, on an easel looking out over the city, Thigpen's startlingly accurate portrait of a familiar Tasmanian decorates the canvas: Bridget Archer, The Federal Member for Bass.

His Archibald Prize entry depicts the politician holding a kelpie pup - named Tank - and walking out from the shearing shed on her property.

"I think I captured a comfortableness and genuine kindness about her," Thigpen said.

The prize, which turned 100 in 2021, is awarded annually to the "best portrait, preferentially of some man or woman distinguished in art, letters, science or politics, painted by any artist resident in Australasia".

Its past winners list is a who's who of the Australian art world - figures like John Olsen and Brett Whiteley among them - and the portraits themselves are often of a no-less impressive coterie: Australia's sole Nobel Laureate Patrick White, former Prime Ministers like Robert Menzies, Richard Flanagan and Albert Namatjira.

Thigpen chose Ms Archer because he said he admires her for her personal story and for repeated crossing of the floor on a number of issues, going against her party's stance on everything from censure issues to the Voice to parliament.

"I thought that capturing her on the shearing shed ramp in front of her shearing shed, and her farm helps us see who she is, because she's really a lady of the community," Thigpen said.

"She's engaged in raising animals, and, you know, being a mother and all these nice things. We don't always see that side in politics."

Thigpen worked on the piece for more than six months - making it the longest he's ever worked on a piece. It's been a significant departure for him from portraits of family members, but one he said he's revelled in.

"There's something incredible about painting a real person, and it is genuinely fun," he said.

"And what I've found exciting about the process too is that I was showing people the piece and they were saying, I know who that is. That's really wonderful."

He worked primarily from a reference photo but had Ms Archer sit for a few sessions to help with finer details like hands and hair. The piece was finished last weekend and will be shipped off to Sydney to be judged in a few weeks.

"I've looked at the paintings that were on last year, and I thought my painting might be as good," Latham said.

"I think that's important to have confidence in yourself and to take chances with your artistic pursuits. I suppose that's why everybody enters things like the Archibald, whether or not you've been doing it for 50 years or for the first time.

"I'm 70 now and, I guess, how many chances are you going to get to do something like this? That applies more for me at my age, but also that kind of applies to anyone."

The finalists of the Archibald prize will be announced on May 30, 2024, with the winner to be announced on June 7.