Guts failing to save second artist (7)
I believe the answer is:
viscera
'guts' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'failing to save second artist' is the wordplay.
'failing' becomes 'vice' (I've seen this in other clues).
'to save' indicates putting letters inside.
'second' becomes 's' (common abbreviation).
'artist' becomes 'ra' (Royal Academician, member of Royal Academy of Arts).
'vice' going around 's' is 'visce'.
'visce'+'ra'='VISCERA'
(Other definitions for viscera that I've seen before include "organs inside" , "Guts" , "Entrails -- CIS rave (anag)" , "Internal organs, intestines" , "Abdominal organs -- cars vie (anag)" .)