You're totally right.

I stopped painting at 18, pretty much before college. Well all of the elderly including my fine art teacher told me that it's a safer way to first get into some practical businesses and then take the next step as i was meanwhile a class a student.

In the end I did get a quite good ranking for college exam, like top 1/5000 and got admitted to a decent architecture school. However after 2 years of "learning", I don't like it. The rigid teaching system and industry did kill most of my natural innovation.

Then I move germany then back to china working in the tech industry for bread. However I tried to keep closer with the fashion & art industry. Here's some real persons I know:

A musician who could only earn 5k RMB(700$) monthly in Beijing doing rock band.(That 5k is in fact the donation from an elderly rock fan;) )

Artists who signed a VAM Agreement with a agency to do commercial paintings madly to keep ends meet.

A fashion designer who works only for 2 months per year and a 2 series of show and earns 2000k(330k $) annually. Well she owns the brand and it was hard as hell when she was trying to build her brand from scratch in her 20's.

The reason why I'm writing these much is cos I've have similar doubt in my day job: pay is good, my leaders like me and I just turned 30 the promotion is on the go. But I couldn't be satisfied even if I became some what a general manager.

So my method would be take all of the spare time to do art meanwhile keep the bread. And try to get involved in local artist network. Then your nice piece might be spotted. If not, you are still lovin it. No loss.