North Suburban artist Milton Pagan, whose exhibit, "Paradise Arts" recently opened at Highland's Uncle Freddy's Gallery, sees the Bible as more than just a touchstone for his spirituality.

"My artistic gift is from God, and I want to share it with the rest of the world," he said.

"I look through the Bible and read the Bible, and I get my inspiration for most of my paintings from all of the stories."

Running at Uncle Freddy's through Jan. 3, the artist, whose last name is pronounced "Puh-gahn," resides in north suburban Algonquin. He began drawing and painting when he was in grade school and works in mixed media with an emphasis on painting.

In the early '90s, Pagan took art courses at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, where one of his teachers was Uncle Freddy's cofounder Tom Torluemke.

Of all of his teachers at the academy, Pagan, who received his associates degree in fine arts there in 1993, cites Torluemke as his favorite during his time on campus.

"He was a very free-spirited teacher and not as strict as all of the teachers that I used to have," Pagan said of Torluemke.

"He would give me assignments and give me the freedom to choose the direction that I wanted take the assignment."

Since graduating from the American Academy of Art, Pagan has exhibited his works at esteemed galleries such as Chicago's Aron Packer Gallery, and his work has been showcased as far away as the Big Apple. His art also has been on display throughout the Fox Valley region and at Chicago's Navy Pier.

Additionally, Pagan also has participated in the annual Around the Coyote art festival held in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood.

For "Paradise," Pagan selected works he created as far back as his American Academy days with Torluemke and as recent as this year.

He currently is working on a watercolor painting he hopes will be hung at the Algonquin Village Hall.

At 8 p.m. Saturday???, area favorites Nomad Planets will perform a holiday benefit show on Uncle Freddy's Soundstage. Admission is $5 plus a nonperishable food item.

Uncle Freddy's Gallery is open noon to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and by appointment.