David Latham, four-time winner of the North Carolina Professional Artists Competition, will be showing his paintings at SKY Art Gallery, April 530. The show will begin with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. April 5. Refreshments will be served.

"The public is welcome to come and meet this amazing and talented artist," says a spokesman.

Latham has been painting and studying art since he was 12 years old. He has studied privately with Christopher Still, a sought-after Florida artist, and also attended John Herron School of Art, with scholarships to Indiana University as an art history major.

Latham says, "Although I learned a lot in Art School, I destroyed most of what I was graded on," says Latham.

"I have one single drawing I did during that period, but let's just say, it will remain in my private collection until after my death."

At some point, Latham began painting for his own pleasure.

"I utilized everything I had learned and tried to forget most of it," he says. "The unexpected happened. I finally realized just how effective I was at having conversations in paint."

"The results are wonderful," says the spokesman. "In 'Light from the West,' you can almost feel the wind from the wings of birds in flight. Contrasting with that, in 'Monastery,' a painting of a small church in Mexico, the stillness is absolute."

Lisa Gessner, who with her husband John, owns SKY Art Gallery, says of Latham's work: "David paints motion and stillness, sound and silence, so that you feel it as an emotion. The extremeness of his paintings is moving. It is not surprising he has won so many awards."

Latham is represented by some of the most influential galleries in the United States, including the Myer-Munson Gallery and Cline Fine Art in Santa Fe, Artreach in Albuquerque, Robischon Gallery in Denver, Winfield Gallery in Monterey and the Hoosier Salon Patrons Gallery in Indianapolis.

"We're very pleased to have him at SKY", says John Gessner. "David's work is magnificent and unique."

Latham came to North Carolina from Miami 15 years ago, when Hurricane Andrew came ashore and blew him all the way here. He now resides and works from his studio at home in Laurinburg. He made an appearance in Pinehurst when he painted one of the dogs for the "Dog Days of Summer" art show in 2004.

He was also commissioned to paint a mural of the Pinehurst No. 2 golf course for the Biltmore Golf Resort in Phoenix, Ariz.

Latham says he is excited about his show at SKY Art Gallery.

"I am honored to share my conversations with you," he says.

SKY Art Gallery, voted "Best Art Gallery" two years in a row in The Pilot's Best of Moore Awards, is located at 602 Magnolia Drive, behind Applebees' and across from Sears. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment.

For more information, call (910) 944-9440 or visit www.skyartgallery.com.