Put me strongly in the camp of believing the tree in the woods thing. I make pottery for a living. And, though I've been paid to play music, I'm not professional.

The strongest impetus toward creation is the sharing of it.

It may not be the only impetus, but I believe it is the strongest. And I believe that at the core of Art is communication -- communication done by self-expression. One without the other and it doesn't add up to art.

And I also suspect that many who claim to create ONLY for their own pleasure, are actually a bit more "sour grapes" than that. Rather than admit, as MMario has, that they'd love to present their work, but are afraid of the reception, they choose instead to not take the risk of sharing. Then they convince themselves that they never meant to share it in the first place.

I'm sure there are some who have taken the risk and been burned, decided it wasn't for them, but still create. I bet they still daydream.

Now don't I dig the big time rock and roll
To sit in the darkness and be somebody else
A time which after all is under control
Crank out the music
Give me music
Let the music fill the air -J Taylor