Artist not following straight career? (6)
I believe the answer is:
turner
'artist' is the definition.
(19th century british painter)
I don't understand the rest of the clue.
(Other definitions for turner that I've seen before include "potter" , "Award in honour of great English painter" , "Pianist's assistant" , "Painter of seascapes" , "British landscape and seascape painter, d.1851" .)