Years ago I had a gallery owner in Paris tell me, straight-faced, that figurative oil painting was "a hard sell" and maybe I should think about making something "more contemporary." I was young and I nearly listened to her. I didn't, thankfully.

That's the one that still irritates me, because it wasn't about whether the work was any good. It was about her wanting an easier wall.

What's the most clueless thing a gallery has ever said to you about your work? The line that made you realize they weren't going to get you, ever?