Doug Simay - Stuart Burton

Doug Simay: Director: Simayspace Gallery and Co-founder:The Art Academy of San Diego

"Portrait painting has always carried with it the two most important qualities of painting (Doug's theory): craft and an emotional/spiritual response. I have increasingly seen portraiture being presented in the re-contextualizing art world of the 21st century. Think of People magazine, society pages, reality TV - we increasingly view the lives of others while reflecting on our own. A well done portrait painting offers the chance to observe mastery of technique (not necessarily how photographic-like) while engendering an emotional, empathetic, spiritual, reflective response." From his Holland trip blog, March 18, 2008

Question #1 What is your highlight Visual art experience from the last year?

#1 "Exhibitions of John Sonsini paintings at ACME, LA., Lael Corbin at Luis de Jesus, San Diego, Karl Benjamin at Oceanside Museum of Art, Matthias Weischer at the Gemeentemuseum, den Hague, Ferdinand Hodler at Musee D'Orsay, Paris, Karsten Konrad at Arndt & Partner, Zurich, Pipilotti Rist, public art, St. Gallen, Switzerland."

Question #2 What is your vision of the future of the Visual arts for San Diego?

#2 "For audience attendance to swell; demand that 'visual' be put back into the term visual arts."