'Dad', Joseph Wenzel, was born in Surinam in 1910, was educated in Germany, and lived in Holland and Surinam in his early adult years. He emmigrated to Canada in 1947 with his wife and children and lived out his life in Hamilton, Ontario until his passing in 1995.

Many of the paintings and drawings here are sketches or unfinished paintings not originally meant for public display. However, it would be a disservice not to show these works as well.