VIRGINIA BEACH, VA.- The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art is featuring a diverse array of Virginia talent as part of MOCA’s winter/spring exhibitions, January 31-April 19, 2015. Emerging contemporary Virginia artists are being celebrated in New Waves 2015 alongside internationally renowned designer and artist Ryan McGinness, a Virginia Beach native. SHRED, selections from a skateboard art competition hosted by the American Institute of Graphic Artists, Hampton Roads chapter rounds out this Virginia-centric exhibition.

Ryan McGinness: Studio Visit explores the creative process of a Virginia Beach native and artist. In 2009, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) commissioned a work inspired by the museum’s collection. The result is a 16-panel painting containing 200 icons that reference works from the VMFA.

This three part exhibition first provides a glimpse of McGinness’ studio practice, which includes audio and video of the artist at work (including McGinness’ favorite playlist). The second shows early artworks he made while growing up in Virginia Beach, and the third features objects McGinness chose from the VMFA museum collection with his sketches and final icon.

Emerging contemporary Virginia artists have a unique opportunity to be featured alongside Ryan McGinness: Studio Visit, as part of MOCA’s annual juried show, New Waves 2015. Over 250 artists from across Virginia submitted work (another record submission) to the 20th anniversary of this year’s show. To mark the occasion, MOCA is offering two additional honorable mentions and a new People’s Choice award. As guests move through the exhibition, they will be able to vote for their favorite work from the 21 selected artists. This year’s guest juror is Lisa Dent, the Director of Resources & Award Programs for Creative Capital, an organization that supports artists across the country through funding, counsel and career development services. Dent served as the Associate Curator of Contemporary Art at the Columbus Museum of Art in Ohio. She has also held curatorial staff positions at the New Museum of Contemporary Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art. Dent was a director at Friedrich Petzel Gallery in New York and owned Lisa Dent Gallery in San Francisco. Diverse pieces ranging in all forms of media from textiles, to photography and sculpture reflect the vast talent from 15 cities across the Commonwealth.

Accepted artists include Sarah Bean (Radford), Riana Bovill (Warrenton), Shannon Castleman (Richmond), Jennifer Creef (Chesapeake), Catherine Day (McLean), Josh DeWall (Norfolk), Erika Diamond (Richmond), Erica Fallin (Reston), Sam Hughes (Norfolk), Christine Lush-Rodriguez (Fredericksburg), Michelle Marquez (Midlothian), Kim Moore (Virginia Beach), Amy Nichols, (Elliston), Justin James Reed (Richmond), Howard Rodman (Virginia Beach), Sandhi Schimmel Gold (Colonial Heights), Tracey St. Peter (Richmond), Patrick Storey (Richmond), Peter Toth (Chantilly), Andrew Watson (Springfield), and Anna Watson (Centreville).