[originaltext]W: Simon, could I ask you about how you started as an artist? You

W: Simon, could I ask you about how you started as an artist? You trained as a graphic designer. When you left university, did you work immediately as a graphic designer?
M: I started work as an illustrator first of all. I did about a year or so but then I went into the music industry.
W: And what did you do? Were you a musician?
M: Yes. I was in a band.
W: So how did you become an independent artist?
M: Well, I was still working as a manager, not really enjoying it very much, when a friend told me about a place called Spitalfields market, where artists selling contemporary stuff can rent a cheap stall. I drew the first thing that came into my head, some Japanese characters, photocopied and enlarged them, stuck them on some wood and put them on the wall at the market. And that was it. In the first week I had some really excellent sales and so I decided to carry on.
Question: What made Simon become an independent artist?