"if we create it just for our own edification it is just a wrong squandering of whatever creative gifts from God we have"

Answer: I'm a Satanist.

"The artistic motivation is as it has always been to get the love of women, the respect of our peers and to impress the consumers of art enough to make a decent living with what we do. What is wrong with that?"

Answer: nothing, also... tell that to Van Gogh.

:)