10:14 AM 3/24/2008 [original draft]
Size does matter
1) If it weren’t for the bad economy for the past 4 years (for me) and who knows how long for others in my situation (artists/painters), I never would have started working on small wood blocks. Another influence on me to turn to painting on wood, recent retro of Richard Tuttle. I have looked at his work closely over many years, like it to some extent, but never got enthralled. But after I had a look this time around, I fell in love with the work on wood; and some of the small sculptures. However, he works his way and I work mine. I fell in love with how paint and wood relate to each other.
2) Bad economy means I can’t afford to ship large paintings to a gallery/venue on spec; no sales no shipping. This is a catch 22 to the nth degree. Very frustrating. But life must go on. I still make large paintings, but they seem to stay in the studio. I make small paintings for the shipping crowd; no not boats, UPS and USPS. I can afford to ship small stuff to a venue on spec. This means, no sales and I haven’t gone bankrupt. I live to work another day.
3) Size affects the painting process. I think and work differently on a 5 x 5 x 1 block of pine than I do on a 58 x 55 canvas. I don’t think this is unique. It is unique for me since I don’t plan a painting’ image structure in advance. I work as pure as I can using a modified program of surrealist automatism. The modifications are simple: over 40 years of living and painting; studying and practicing; forming and making. No matter how pure one tries to tap into our subconscious and let it out without any conscious connections, you still can’t separate the brain parts and the brain from our life’s experiences. It is a computer and one that learns every second it is operating. So we are left dealing with world of ideals. This gets me going everyday in the studio.
David Novak - life in flat land 
David, I do remember this excellent post. I work very much the same way that you do. The small pieces or ideas feed the big ones. As you know I’ve been really into doing a series of small, specifically-sized works. Within this restriction I end up with a lot of surprises and solve all kinds of image questions.
I love your wood pieces. I also really enjoy how the wood interacts with the rest of the image.