Must

Got a e-mail yesterday from a friend that works at ArtsPartners ( a central Illinois agency to help promote art) with the heading "Must". The e-mail, written by a Doctor of Psychology went into depth about the different needs that a person encounters through life. He likened it to rungs of a ladder. the first are the basic needs - air, food, water, shelter. Then comes others like - transportation, occupation, and so on. At the top of his ladder is the rung of destiny, what is your purpose on the planet. For artists it is a "must" - paint, create, sculpt, weave, whatever our media we must do it.
The e-mail was good but the rung was too high, speaking as an artist, I "must" express the creative side or risk falling into melancholy. I think for non-artists the rung must be higher to purchase art. Don't get me wrong I would paint for nothing ( but don't tell anyone) , but the simple fact that even art supplies cost money makes it necessary to sell our work. People who buy art must be in a position to have all the lowers needs met. ( Your not going to but a vase for flowers if you don't have anything to eat) I not so sure about the artists though, it seems that the ones that are striving to attain some greater plateau , hunger after acceptance are the artists that achieve greatness. What kind of paintings would Van Gogh have created if he had not lived such a turbulent life.
So artists "must" .