What is Painting?

This question has haunted me lately. I'm trying to determine where I stand, but I do not know where this conversation is taking place. I walk through the Museums and I see what painting once was. A stroll through the galleries gives me a sense of the market, as well as what is in fashion. Then I see the paintings hung in cafes, art fairs, and sold on the internet, and I see a version of what the public consumes as art. I look at the art periodicals and I am baffled by the language, which is clearly driven by intellectuals purely for the sake of intellectualism. Each time I venture out, I end up feeling disappointed and I return to the studio.

I am looking for painting as a practice and how it relates to art production. I am looking for critical discourse. I am looking for new challenges within the medium. I want to know the dialog around contemporary painting and where I can join in. Are there current issues in painting? If so, what are they, and who says so?