A YOUNG Polish artist whose work is sought after by celebrities and galleries across Scotland, admits she has had some unusual inspiration – Glasgow’s down-at-heel street philosopher, Rab C Nesbitt.

“I fell in love with Rab C Nesbitt,” laughs Mika Mayovich, who discovered the comedy character, played on TV by Gregor Fisher, when she first arrived in the city to study art seven years ago.

“I am not kidding! Coming from Poland, I knew nothing about him until I got to Glasgow. But I see him as a positive person in a negative world.

“He’s drunk, unemployed - but his personal conclusions about life cheer people up.”

She smiles: “It’s a reminder that you can be at the bottom but there’s still happiness there.”

Mika, who graduated from Glasgow School of Art in 2011, is currently working with several galleries around Scotland.

She is known for her bright, bold portraits - her three large scale self-portraits produced for her GSA degree show sold immediately – and looks like being one of the most intriguing artists taking part in this weekend’s Glasgow Contemporary Art Fair.

Mika has also donated works for charity, including a portrait of Ewan McGregor which was sparked by a chance meeting with the actor himself.

“I had a stall at the Merchant Festival and on my lunch break, I went off in search of some food,” she recalls.

“As we were walking through one of the alleyways, I saw a beautiful BMW motorbike which I knew my dad would love.

“I went up to admire it and the person at the bike was Ewan McGregor - you can imagine how surprised I was.”

Mika started drawing at a very early age in her home town of Nisko in south east Poland.

She explains: “I remember picking up my first crayons and I started to draw all over everything, over the desk, over the furniture, and a white wall.

“It was more attractive to me than a small piece of paper.”

She grins: “My parents told me off a few times then, after a while, they stopped fighting against it and just let me do it and decided to re-paint the house every few months!

“I always had that need for drawing. Always.”

Mika moved to Scotland in 2010.

“I love Glasgow, it’s a city that gives you space,” she says. “It seems so open to people. After completing my art foundation in Oxford, I applied for many art schools in the UK and got offers for all of them.

“I was told that Glasgow School of Art was the best, so here I am. I don’t see any other place to be now.”

Mika adds with a laugh: “Maybe I should change my name to Mac -Majowicz!”

Mika’s commissioned work ranges from portraits of clients to capturing an eclectic range of celebrities, including Rod Stewart, Audrey Hepburn, Twiggy and David Bowie.

“It started with Marilyn Monroe - she was one of my first portraits with the stronger colours, and everyone liked it,” she explains.

“She has red but the blue and yellow are quite soft and gentle. I am painting women who are trying to be strong in a way.”

For further information about Mika visit www.mayovich.co.uk

The GCAF, which is supported by Cass Art, is spread over two floors at the Fruitmarket in Glasgow’s Merchant City, with prices ranging from around £50 to upwards of £10,000. It includes original art, prints, sculpture and photography from established, celebrity, and newly qualified up and coming artists. During the weekend, the public will have the chance to ‘meet and greet’ artists who will be in attendance.

The GCAF organisers have teamed up with Glasgow City Council to offer those attending this year’s event by car an all day parking (8 am to 6 pm) deal at Duke Street Car Park on Saturday and Sunday for only £2.50. For full details on the offer, visit www.gcaf.co.uk

In conjunction with Creative Scotland, a Glasgow Contemporary Art Fair app has been developed for the event that will enable the ‘fair experience’ to be extended from days to months.

Full of exciting features, the built-in visual recognition technology allows fairgoers to easily access the story behind any artwork just by pointing their smartphone’s camera at it.

Buyers can save their favourites to view later and they can view the entire fair on their phone, message the gallery or artist directly through the app, and of course they can buy any artwork directly through the app whenever the mood strikes, days, weeks or months after the fair.

The app, available now, is a fully integrated part of the GCAF, the first time this has been offered in Scotland.

The 3rd GCAF takes place on Friday, April 28 from 6pm until 9pm, on Saturday, April 29 from 10am until 6pm; and on Sunday April 30, from 10am until 5pm.

Tickets for the Friday preview evening cost from £9 and include live music courtesy of the Ritz Trio, and complimentary champagne while entrance fees on the Saturday and Sunday will be £3 per adult with children under 15 free of charge. For further information, including a full list of exhibitors, visit www.gcaf.co.uk