The Beauty of Decisions and More Fun Collaborations

'Free Form & Bubbles' by L.G. Parzych & C.W. Parzych III crayon on paper 07.30.11

Creating art is about decisions. They are being made regardless of what we are creating: music, art, choreography, writing, film, etc. I recently found that is what I love about creating art and music. It came to me while drawing with my 19 month old daughter Lillian. Watching her choose her color crayon, then where she places it on the paper and even what kind of marks she makes with it. Following that with which color she chooses next- perhaps in response (or not) to the marks I make, with the colors I use. Her decisions made were perfect for that moment of creation- a snapshot of that perfect moment, if you will. Are all her decisions correct? Yes. Which led me to ask myself, "Are all of my decisions correct?" Well...
As an artist I tend to question if every decision I make is a good one and I am not the only one. I have seen this with my sister, brother, friends, family and all artists I have come in contact with, from my college days to the present. So why do we make this so difficult for ourselves? Why not just say that every decision we make is perfect when we make it- even if we don't agree later? No amount of discussion or philosophy, theory or rhetoric can ever change that which we have already made. Sure we can use our past decisions to fuel if (and how) we continue with a particular vein of thought or whether we end it and start another, but we cannot change that which is already passed. So does this mean that the past means little, and the future means nothing? I don't know (go ask your mother). All I know is that the past is passed, and the future isn't here yet. As for the present? Well, the present is where all the beautiful things happen. I hope you enjoy these beautiful images. They were fun collaborations with my daughter Lil. Every decision made was a perfect one (of course, I am biased).

'Silly Snail' by L.G. Parzych & C.W. Parzych III crayon on paper 07.22.11

'Whale in a Brown Sea' by L.G. Parzych & C.W. Parzych III crayon on paper 07.26.11

'Technicolor Caterpillar' by L.G. Parzych & C.W. Parzych III crayon on paper 07.25.11

'Purple Bear at Sunset' by L.G. Parzych & C.W. Parzych III crayon on paper 07.26.11

'Desert Sun & Wildflowers' by L.G. Parzych & C.W. Parzych III crayon on paper 07.25.11