A fellow artist returning at a distance (4)
I believe the answer is:
afar
'at a distance' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'a fellow artist returning' is the wordplay.
'fellow' becomes 'f' (abbreviation - of a society etc.).
'artist' becomes 'RA' (Royal Academician, member of Royal Academy of Arts).
'returning' is a reversal indicator.
'ra' back-to-front is 'ar'.
'a'+'f'+'ar'='AFAR'
(Other definitions for afar that I've seen before include "Pull out at a distance" , "quite some distance" , "A long way away" , "long way back" , "Distant, not near" .)