Hamilton, Ontario artist Wendy Law is self-taught. My dad, an amateur artist, encouraged me to start painting by daring me: “I bet you can’t do this one.” As a rebellious teen, I wanted to prove him wrong—thank you, Dad.

My galleries show how I’ve pushed myself over the years. I specialize in custom pet and people portraits, work in many media, and will paint on any surface a client asks for. The painting below is my first abstract. When redecorating my living room, my son suggested I paint the wall art myself—“You’re an artist, after all.” Not bad for a first try.