CAB DRIVER RECEIVES DAMIAN HIRST DOODLE AS TIP

MOST PEOPLE'S IDEA OF A TIP FOR A TAXI DRIVER IS SAYING 'KEEP THE CHANGE' WHEN PAYING THE BILL. BUT THEN NOT PASSENGER IS THE WORLD RENOWNED ARTIST DAMIAN HIRST. THE ARTIST GOT ON SO WELL WITH HIS CABBIE JON HORSLEY DURING A 30 MINUTE RIDE THAT HE HANDED OVER A SKETCH WITH THE £20 FARE. ALTHOUGH LITTLE MORE THAN A DOODLE, ART EXPERTS HAVE NOW VALUED IT AT £1,500, AND SAID IT COULD EVEN FETCH UP TO £5,000 AT AUCTION. THE PENCIL DRAWING, WHICH TOOK HIRST JUST A FEW MINUTES TO PRODUCE WHILE IN THE BACK OF THE TAXI, FEATURES A SHARK, BUTTERFLY AND SKULL, ALL NODS TO SOME OF HIS MOST FAMOUS ART WORKS. HE SIGNED IT FOR HORSLEY'S 15 YEAR OLD SON, WHO IS STUDYING ART AMONG HIS GCSE SUBJECTS, WRITING: 'FOR LJ. DON'T GIVE UP ON THE ART.' ALTHOUGH LJ MIGHT HOPE TO DO A LITTLE BETTER IN HIS EXAMS THAN HIRST, WHO SCRAPED AN E GRADE IN HIS ART A LEVEL. THE ARTIST IS NOW BEST-KNOWN FOR PICKLING A SHARK IN FORMALDEHYDE AND COVERING A SKULL IN DIAMONDS, AS WELL AS ARRANGING BUTTERFLY WINGS INTO PATTERNS. HE HAS BEEN DUBBED THE 'ENFANT TERRIBLE' OF THE ART WORLD, WHICH SOME CRITICS AND MUCH OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC THINK IS A DESCRIPTION OF HIS ABILITY TO DRAW. BUT NOT MARY MCCARTHY, CONTEMPORARY ART DIRECTOR AT DREWEATTS & BLOOMSBURY, WHO WILL AUCTION THE SKETCH IN NINE DAYS.