I paint because...

I recently filled in an application for an art show where the theme was "I paint because...". Artist had to write 120 words or less on this theme. Initially feeling like a primary school essay, nevertheless, it got me thinking...why do artists paint? We all paint for very different reasons, and thinking about such a simple question arises some more complex answers. It's kind of like asking why the sky is blue. There is a simple answer and yet more complex ones the more you delve into the reasons. The thematic rationale was given as being:

"Increasingly painting has become a specialist field of art practice. Seen by some as the medium of a bygone era, artists continue to defy the challenges of the naysayers."

Anyway, here was my answer:

I paint because….I am fascinated by the patterns I see around me. Patterns soothe & mesmerise me - they are a subtle form of hypnosis. I paint to both describe and reflect what the patterns are that I see and how they make me feel. I paint to feel at peace with the world and to feel good about creating something beautiful for its own sake. I don’t paint to make people think – in fact, quite the opposite – I paint to give myself and others an opportunity to find some peace in their day from all the ‘noise’ of a hectic, modern world.

I'd like to know why other people paint and why people continue to be interested in paintings, if anyone cares to comment....?