Recently I was able to board the Art Bus which is travelling around the country with a driver and an Art person. In the bus are recent winners or runners up for the Turner prize. I walked on the bus and saw the images and sculptures which had won. Then I went away to think how lucky I am to not be in a position where I have to rely on my art to earn a living.
Then I though of the difficult life an artist could lead living from one commision or prize to another.
Most of all I remembered the thinking that had to be done as an artist. It seemed you no longer had to be technically good at art. You had to be able to get inside the minds of not ONLY the general public but the clients who would be rich enough to buy your art.
You had to get inside their minds and think what would be unique way of using skills and talents to produce art which people would rave about.
Hence the reason many students would depict people having their teeth pulled, ritualistic gore and other shocking images in the hope that -yes their particular type of art would -make it BIG!
The most shocking installation I ever saw consisted of a naked student jumping around  in a small room. I did feel quite sorry for him apart from anything else. Gone was his respectability for the sake of getting people to admire him.
So here I am in my attic room typing this and glad that I have a job to go to tomorrow and glad I do not have any clients to please. I am still inspired by the beauty of nature and I love unusual buildings.
Here are two different ways of looking at an image. My favourite island Ailsa Craig.,,