Victoria Elaine McIntosh
ojibwayceltic@shaw.ca

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Sandy worked hard for most of his life. He worked as a bushman, logging and so forth.  He also diamond drilled at an early age before working underground in the Red Lake district until his retirement in the mid 70’s.

Originally from Ste. Catherine’s, Ontario, as the son of Scottish/English immigrants, Sandy found his way further north in Ontario.  Hard work never intimidated him, even being a small man.  His children remember him being strong in many ways and very compassionate in others. As in this portrait, his love for nature and animals is evident, and it helped make his life easier to cope with considering all of the hardships he had to endure in making a living, literally from the ground up.

Sandy raised a large family, most of his children growing up in the Red Lake district, living in Balmertown and then McKenzie Island.  Sandy always made time for his children. His son Allen remembers him as a man with a lot of knowledge and many stories to tell of his times as a young man in Red Lake.

I have never met my father-in-law and I chose this picture, because when I look at old pictures I am always fascinated to know what the story is behind the picture.  I know in their time they had a lot to say, and share with the next generation.  As a portrait artist, I try to tell these stories.

I dedicate this portrait to all of Sandy’s descendants, to the ones he never met and the ones yet to come.