The average late 19th Century American annual salary was less than $1,000.
F. Wellington Ruckstuhl turned down 5 times that to pursue his passion.
Mr. Ruckstuhl's story serves as an example of a different kind of "success" but still a "success story."
The "creative life" has never been easy. The value of doing "what you love" as a profession is hard to measure in dollars.
The statues mentioned in the article are pictured below...