Much of contemporary art comforts, supports and provides a means of investment for the wealthy while our society is dividing into rich and poor, our leadership is corrupt and our planet is steadily being destroyed.

The amount of money involved in the art business while many are hungry and homeless and the fact that some artists chase this is obscene. There is no beauty and honesty in this and we need to stop deluding ourselves and say so. Artists need to live but they don't need to be celebrities and millionaires.

We need to educate the public to be discriminating. Celebrity culture is fueled by an 'emperor's new clothes' mentality and a fear of falling behind. Some dealers and a handful of assertive artists, most of whom have little to say, have capitalized on this.

Conceptualism has taken the joy out of the process of making and deprived the viewer of the marks of the hands of the artist. We are labourers and should get our hands dirty.

Early film makers, learning from artists, made aesthetically significant work. Much of television and contemporary cinema is populist and lacks depth.

Advertising has corrupted visual imagery (and music) to target vulnerable people and make them discontented. It's sad to see creative people buying into this.

I'm conscious that these statements are uncomfortable but there is hope if we learn to observe closely and react honestly. My way is to learn from Nature. Nothing we can invent bears comparison with the rich and beautiful forms generated by millions of years of natural selection. Even the ugly parts of Nature are full of interest, beyond anything we are capable of imagining and given time they will become beautiful.

The best art isn't made up, it's the result of looking closely at things and learning from them.