Why do you paint?

This is a question that was recently posed on Facebook. My answer is rather complicated, just like painting itself. I think the fact that it is so difficult to do well and can therefore never be conquered makes it a lifelong pursuit. There is no finish line, you never arrive and you always have a bunch of paintings in your head that you want to bring to life. It is never boring.

Other reasons for me include: the serene zen of flow when deeply involved in painting, the tactile pleasure of pushing around the buttery colors, the fun of trying to bring to life an ideal in your head, the constant challenge of improving and learning more and the hope of creating a poetic masterpiece.