Can you make a living as an artist?

Question:

Can you make a living as an artist?

I have other career choices in mind, but its really a broader question than me asking if I should be an artist.. I'm asking if anyone could really make it as an artist these days.

alot of famous artists were poor their entire lives.. and of course were discovered after they died, in the modern world I see artists at craft fairs not making a dime, and I see them trying to sell their work on ebay and not getting too much luck

! surely their some rich snobs to buy our work still.. right? are their any artists that are making a living these days..
thanks..

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Every artist I know has a day job. You don't create art to make a living, you create art to make a statement. It's not about the money, although nobody I know is ever upset about selling a piece.