Art Professor Receives Prestigious Fellowship

Ryan-Paul_ Meet or Exceed
Meet or Exceed by Paul Ryan

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has chosen Professor of Art Paul Ryan as one of its visual arts fellows for 2016–17.

Ryan, a painter, is among 12 professional artists each awarded $8,000.

The fellowships are funded through a private endowment administered by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

“We are grateful to the late John Lee Pratt of Fredericksburg for establishing an endowment that makes this support possible, as well as others who have contributed funds to further this mission-based objective throughout the years,” museum director Alex Nyerges said in a statement.

Winners are chosen from a field of applicants who submit a sample of their work and an artist statement. Those selected for fellowships have demonstrated “exceptional creative ability in their chosen discipline.”

Established in 1940, the program has awarded nearly $5.5 million in fellowships to Virginians.

Ryan teaches all levels of drawing and painting, and courses in art criticism and contemporary art. He is also the director of Hunt Gallery. Paul has an MFA in painting from the School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University, and a BA in English from Principia College.