To attempt to answer your patronage question I tried to find famous quotes from the Renaissance, but I failed. Many historical quotes about why political patronage is bad, and only a few about art that either say it makes the patron equal to the artist (which I definitely do not feel) or that men make the best patrons (ha!).
So why do I do it? Well, obviously there's the selfish aspect: me want more Malinda music! But as you say it's more than that. It's partly the semi-collaboration, partly the good feeling knowing I'm helping in a small way to usher more wonderful art into the world, and then on a personal level it's the joy I feel when you seem so happy to be sharing your music and ideas with us. I suppose in sort of a parental way your success makes me happy just cuz you are so nice.
Does that answer the question at all?