HE’S being followed online by Rihanna, Calvin Harris and Jessie J and was invited to appear on television with Ed Sheeran.

Artist Mike Gibson from Portarlington has just turned 20 but is already attracting international attention for his remarkable talent.

After he posted his portrait of Rihanna on Twitter, the star became a follower of his work and sent him a private message: “Love this!”

In contrast to confident superstars, Mike’s first portrait of 2015 is a thought-provoking image of a Barbie doll, with half her face free from make-up and lined with tears.

The work has generated huge interest, as people instantly and personally relate to the disparity between the public and private self.

“I think that image strikes a chord with many people because it’s really relevant to society today,” says Mike. “With social networking, everyone has a public profile, and other people base their judgment on that. They don’t see all the problems and insecurities that lie behind the profile.

“The main message I want to convey is that many of us wear a mask and that it’s okay to feel vulnerable. We all have our insecurities and parts of us that we feel ashamed of and that we feel we need to hide. I hope it encourages people to talk more about that human vulnerability.”

A self-taught artist, Mike recalls: “I’ve been drawing since I could pick up a pencil at the age of three and I was always encouraged. It just seemed to come naturally to me.”

After doing his leaving cert at Coláiste Iosagáin, he decided to concentrate on art and began to experiment with colour and different techniques. He started by drawing intricately detailed portraits of famous people because he enjoys capturing their essence.

“I’m now moving on to landscapes and animals but I still prefer portraits because I love capturing people’s expressions and conveying their essential spirit,” he explains.

At the start of 2013 he set up the Mike Gibson Artwork Facebook page, which now has more than 13,000 likes and his work has over 8,600 followers on Twitter. They include Jessie J, who commented “Amazing!” when Mike posted a striking colour portrait of the singer last November.

He was invited to appear on television with Ed Sheeran last year, after he posted a portrait of the singer/songwriter in a competition for tickets to a private gig. After the broadcast, he presented the musician with the portrait as a gift.

He remembers: “Ed was brilliant and he sounds exactly the same live as on his recordings. He’s so talented but he’s really humble as well and it was brilliant to meet him.”

The work Mike treasures most is a recent portrait of Marilyn Monroe, which took up to 14 hours to complete and has attracted overwhelmingly glowing comments.

“I’m proudest of that one because I think it captures her spirit and I spent a lot of time on it,” he says.

A son of Maurice Gibson and Veronica Dunne, Mike also does commissions for family and individual portraits from his home in Patrick Street. His big dream is to own an art studio and to continue working at what he loves for the rest of his life. Judging by his extraordinary impact so far, that dream looks certain to be fulfilled.