The world we live in is capable of providing a living wage to artists (and writers, and sculptors, etc.). It’s not common, and its not always the most comfortable living, but it exists.
Pixar, Riot Games, Marvel, and XKCD would not exist without full time artists (even those with above-average-but-not-world-class talent).
XKCD is created by a guy who is ... not exactly an "artist". Well, he's an artist because he draws, but he is foremost an engineer, and he went to school for a STEM education. He had a tech job at NASA in his past: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randall_Munroe
Pixar, Riot Games, Marvel, and XKCD would not exist without full time artists (even those with above-average-but-not-world-class talent).