Peter Mars is a leader in Chicago’s pop art movement, working in what he describes as “that area where nonsense and popular culture so frequently meet.”

Silkscreen combined with hand painting is Peter’s medium of choice, and he frequently layers images, one on top of the other, on paper or canvas.

“Right away I loved the feeling of working with silk and ink, and that sense of excitement never seems to fade. I love the high spinning sound you hear when you pull the ink across the silk. But most of all, I love that final breathtaking moment when you lift the screen from the paper and the image appears, as if by magic!”

Sometimes in his work, Peter incorporates iconography from his youth, including Casper the Friendly Ghost, Popeye, the Eiffel Tower, and Coca-Cola. He has painted superheroes like Wonder Woman and Batman, and he loves depicting classic icons like Marilyn Monroe, Barack Obama, and Elvis Presley. “It is fun to play with photos of celebrities and juxtapose them in unfamiliar ways. For this public figure you think you know so well, here is another way to see them.”

Shows like the Oprah Winfrey Show have featured Peter; his artwork is in the personal collections of Sheryl Crow, Nate Berkus, Michael Jordan, Betsey Johnson, Sandra Bernhard, and more.