Interesting approach... you seem to advocate for a pricing model based on what the artist needs, which is good, but I wonder if clients will react to it.
I know when I was first starting, I had to accept wages that were pitiful by USA standards - $5/hour or less - and work up from there. Now I'm getting $30-40 per hour on my best gigs!
Chase Jarvis's advice sticks in my mind about this: "Your $50 client won't ever be your $500 client. The best way to earn more is to find new clients."