>>2901753Well, I'm surely not world-famous. But in my country and a few others I'm well known, of course especially among photography enthusiasts. Which also means quite some public attention (due to articles in feuilletons etc.) and as I still can mostly walk around icognito, from time to time somebody recognises me and we have a brief chat.
You surely want to point out the winner-takes-all-process, which claims that there is no in-between for artists: either you are a loss or you make that shit-load of money.
I couldn't deny that this process is valid, but on the other hand reality is not so black and white and in absolute numbers there is quite a lot of space for artists who are neither the big players nor a failure.
I personally make a verty satisfying living out of my art. I don't own an air-plane however. And I know enough peers to confidentely state that it is way not impossible to be part of the "artistic upper-middle-class" as in regard to income.
I will admit that my starting position was not bad. Due to my background I was able to focus on my art only. Fortunately I got the most valueable good on earth: Time. And with quite some work I was able to make something out of it.
I know that other people work hard also. And I am aware that it is not very fair that for most of them hard work will not be enough, just because of unfortunate entry chances.
This is (to be blantly honest) actually why I don't like talking to such people in general. There is always this atmosphere of 'you sucker just had luck because of your conditions'. And I fast start to feel uncomfortable in pointing out my achievements and the fights I fought, because everything I say seems to be either whiny or patronising under this point if view.
But I'm willing to share experience and knowledge though.
