Who represents the next generation of break-out visual artists in Miami? Where will the next Naomi Fisher, Jim Drain, Hernan Bas, Daniel Arsham, Mark Handforth, Dara Friedman, Bert Rodriguez and/or Michael Vasquez come from? They’ve all had international careers, multiple gallery shows and museum opportunities. Who might be the next group of artists to reach that level and stand on the world stage? Here are nine that I think have a shot…

Nicolas Lobo is almost too smart for his audience sometimes and is always making thoughtful conceptual sculpture that pushes the envelope. And check out his new book, just published by Gean Moreno’s Name Publications.

Tatiana Vahan is about to get her moment at MOCA, and we all know how good Bonnie Clearwater is at selecting future rock stars. Tatiana’s drivers license piece, where she went back to the DMV and got a new license every 30 days for months is what put her on my radar. So subversive! Vahan’s work will be included in MOCA’s Open Process: New Works by Miami Artists exhibition, on display from March 18-June 5, 2011, click here for info.

Natalya Laskis is a painter who is coming into her own after a stint as Hernan Bas’ assistant. I just did a recent studio visit and her work is getting bigger and less structured and it is working. Click here to see some of her work at Fredric Snitzer Gallery.

Jillian Mayer is not exactly a well-kept secret, given her recent selection as one of a handful of profiled winners of the Guggenheim’s YouTube Play Creative Video Biennial. I am obsessed with her 60-second “Scenic Jogging” video, and I can’t wait for her upcoming show at David Castillo Gallery.

Zach Balber’s photographs see things in everyday life that the rest of us pass by. There is a soul in the photos that is quite compelling.

Beatriz Monteavaro’s recent scary monster drip painting at MAM was a bold new direction for her that I hope she continues to follow.

Felice Grodin’s latest drawings seem almost otherworldly. These might be the ones to take her to the next level.

Tim Buwalda is the hardest working artist in Miami. His hyper realist painting of wrecked cars work best when they border abstraction and reality.

Christina Gast’s last film at Gallery Diet was a tour de force. With a huge sculptural screen element, you felt like you were in the middle of the panoramic film. Gast just returned from a residency / think tank at Karukinka Natural Park in southern Tierra del Fuego, Chile, where she was invited on a 10-day exploration of the landscape with the goal of designing an artist-in-residence program that would have a deep impact in the region and a goal of promoting conservation. Her project Herbert Hoover Dyke is on view at the de la Cruz Collection through March 12.

So, there are some of my predictions. What about yours? Tell us who you think might be the next break-out art star from Miami’s incredibly talented pool of working artists…