I'm a full-time art dealer. I put the ad on gumtree because I've been doing a bit of a clear-out and thought it might be a fun way to get rid of handbags that are taking up too much room in my apartment. I rarely use a handbag twice so it's pointless keeping them and anyway the prospect of sourcing interesting art through an ad is quite exciting. At the moment I've about 25 of them gathering dust, ranging from everyday leather handbags to more decorative ones for occasional wear.

I enjoy buying good quality bags, but I wouldn't spend hundreds of euro on one, which is just as well considering I tire of them quickly and don't re-use the bags enough so it's pointless keeping them. The prospect of sourcing interesting art excites me far more than keeping the handbags.

I've always loved bartering and striking a deal. It goes hand-in-hand with my job as a dealer and doing this kind of business is in my blood.

My family had a drapery shop in Celbridge and I remember selling Christmas trees with my father at the market when I was very young.

All of us kids had to take turns working in the shop and we all learned how to deal with customers and wholesalers. It was brilliant training. Seven of my father's brothers had businesses in the area as well and my grandfather had an antique shop on the main street, so we were all dealers really.

I generally source art for genuine collectors who want to collect specific artists. They study the market and know how much the different artists are making. I go to all the auctions to keep up-to-date on everything. It's so important to know the prices and watch what is selling.

Over the years I've developed a keen eye for art that sells and art that people will buy, more so than art I like myself.

When I buy a picture, it's because I know that it will sell.

I'm self-taught. I've never had any formal training. I always loved art even when I was small. As a teenager, I used to sell my own paintings at local events.

After school I went into an accounts job by accident really but continued to read up on art and visit galleries and learn what type of art was right to buy at that time. I also got very friendly with the galleries and the dealers and that was where I got a lot of my knowledge. Taking the leap and going into it full-time was the best thing I ever did.

You learn a lot on the job and people skills shouldn't be under-rated. It's also vital for an art dealer to be thrifty and be able to handle other dealers who are in the business for years and know all the tricks of the trade.

On top of that, there's a lot of fraud out there as well, so you have to be really shrewd and be careful not to walk into things.

Like everything, the art world has been hit by the recession but things are still relatively good. There are a lot of artists out there that can be bought for a reasonable price and they will maintain their value.

It's a good time to buy art as an investment, as long as you get the right advice on where and what to buy. If you keep that in mind,
I fully believe it's possible to make a profit – even in a recession.

A lot of mistakes were made in the boom time through lack of knowledge, so I can't stress enough the importance of good advice in this business.

People should take heart from the fact that the highest ever price for a Picasso was paid this week – $106m.

Art always thrives – even during a world recession. It will always be somebody's passion. It's definitely mine.

In conversation with Claire Ryan