Calling all sci-fi enthusiasts and superhero fanatics: the days of hiding your nerdy fandom in the basement game-room are over. Denver-based artist Christopher Clark is bringing some of Hollywood’s most iconic pop-culture characters to life with fine-art quality oil paintings.

Clark was a card-carrying comic book collector and a Star Wars devotee as a child growing up in Orange County. As an adult, he’s turned that passion into fine art. One year ago, he became the only artist in Colorado to be licensed to create art for both Marvel and Star Wars (this is kind of a big deal). Since then, Clark has consistently sold out of his work at Comic Con as well as at multiple Star Wars festivals.

In celebration of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, downtown Denver’s Incredible Art Gallery is putting on a free, two-day show featuring Clark’s work, which includes original oil paintings as well as prints of his work. Clark says his art brings fandom of these pop-culture icons to another level.

“For the kind of nerdy, geeky art that I do, I’m elevating the quality to a level that is fine art,” Clark says. “These are oil paintings, and my inspiration is an older, classical style of painting that I’m bringing to these contemporary pop-art subjects.”

Christopher Clark
Christopher Clark and his work. Photograph courtesy of The Incredible Art Gallery
Christopher Clark
Painting by Christopher Clark. Photograph courtesy of The Incredible Art Gallery
Painting by Christopher Clark. Photograph courtesy of The Incredible Art Gallery
Christopher Clark
Painting by Christopher Clark. Photograph courtesy of The Incredible Art Gallery
Christopher Clark
Clark paints both original works as well as scenes that actually took place in the films, such as this one. Photograph courtesy of The Incredible Art Gallery
Clark will be unveiling a new Guardians of the Galaxy piece in honor of the new movie (this one features Groot as an adult). Photograph courtesy of The Incredible Art Gallery

Free prints will be given to anyone who shows up for either show, and Clark says he’ll be there to add oil paint to any of his purchased prints. Doing this, he says, helps to bring back the light and texture that’s lost when an oil painting is converted to a high quality print. It’s live-painting—but not exactly from scratch.

The idea of his art, Clark says, is to bring great art to the masses. Clark has created something that people who aren’t fans of the movies or characters can enjoy while still having the details every dedicated follower will notice. Or, as one woman told him, he’s “Raising the quality of art that’s going to be seen in dorm rooms.”

If you go: The Incredible Art Gallery is located at 1020 15th St. The shows will take place on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. It will also feature work from Kfir Mendel, who creates his art on leather canvases. Call 800-771-9501 or visit https://incredibleartgallery.com/marvel-event-5-6-17 for more information. Admission is free.