About Sandy Ingersoll

Sandy Ingersoll was born in Canyon Ferry, Montana and spent most of his life living in the Bitterroot Valley in western Montana. His family was among the original settlers that came to Montana when it was a territory. Sandy’s grandfather was an early Helena physician and his father drove stagecoach.

As a youth Sandy worked for several cattle outfits in western Montana. Many of these experiences became subjects for later art work. In 1928 Sandy graduated from Florence (Montana) High School, after which he worked for a logging company. In 1929 he married Lola James and worked on a Montana farm during the Depression.

He and Lola moved briefly to Yakima, Washington so he could practice commercial art. This career was short lived and they moved back to western Montana where he returned to farm and cattle work. Up to this point, he was primarily a self-taught artist. In the 1930s he spent four years studying art through correspondence courses. In the early 1940s he went to Great Falls to learn sign painting. (Due to a
kidney disorder he was not eligible for military service during World War II.)

In Great Falls he studied under O. C. Seltzer. He found Seltzer a demanding taskmaster but one who is credited with teaching him the finer points of drawing and painting. Eventually settling in Stevensville, Montana, Ingersoll became a full-time artist in 1962. He supplemented his income by running a small print shop and teaching art classes.

Although Ingersoll produced art for over 60 years his total output was not very large. He was a relatively slow artist who spent much of his time laboring over each piece.
Ingersoll produced serigraphs, drawings, watercolors and oils. In his later years he produced drypoints and etchings. His themes are mostly Native Americans and cowboys set in central and western Montana.

He died in Stevensville, Montana.

Source:
askART.com
J. M. Moynahan, Spokane, Washington. Moynahan wrote two books on the artist and worked as an art dealer selling his art in the 1970s and 1980s.