I covered my first art fair, Tresors: International Fine Art & Antiques Fair, as a rookie reporter in 1994. But it took me another 17 years before I screwed up enough courage to buy my first "proper" work of art.

And I was almost thwarted in my first buying sortie. I made the mistake of trying a booth at Art Stage Singapore where the blonde gallerist gave me a critical once over, decided I wasn't worth the effort and ignored me in a very loud, pointed silence.