File with artist's paintings originally (4)
I believe the answer is:
rasp
'file' is the definition.
(I know that rasp is a type of file)
'with artist's paintings originally' is the wordplay.
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'artist's' becomes 'ras' (Royal Academician's abbreviation).
'originally' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'paintings' is 'p'.
'ras'+'p' is 'RASP'.
(Other definitions for rasp that I've seen before include "unpleasant noise" , "Filing tool" , "File - berry" , "Harsh grating sound" , "Make a grating noise" .)