Frederick A. Lepine is a contemporary aboriginal (Cree/Metis) artist with quite a varied background. Born in Hay River, Northwest Territories, in 1958, he has been a political cartoonist, forest firefighter, painter, sculptor, computer artist/programmer, musician, writer, photographer and videographer .

At the age of 17, as a political cartoonist with a local Hay River newspaper, he was awarded the Jasper National Award for Cartooning in the Community Interest.

From 1977 to 1994, Fred held the positions of Helitack Firefighter and Air Attack Officer with the Northwest Territories forestry department. Fire attack has provided him opportunities to work throughout Canada, the United States and Mexico. In the mid-eighties, he received national certification as an Air Attack Boss, a duty which involves supervising multiple and simultaneous air attack scenarios.

In 1992, he graduated cum laude from the Victoria College of Art in Victoria, BC., and in 1993, launched Flying Colors Design, the name of which is a reflection of his aviation and fine art backgrounds.

As a writer, Fred has explored contemporary aboriginal issues. His short stories have so far been published in Steal My Rage, a 1997 collection of new native writers; another short story won the 1995 Northwest Territories Literacy Contest; and still another was advanced to the finals of the Canadian Literary Awards Competition.

In 1999 and 2000, Fred was a member of the Canadian Smart Communities National Selection Committee. This group of Canadians was charged with selecting a number of communities wishing to acquire government funding to assist in developing technology solutions for community challenges. Fred represents aboriginal interests and issues in technology.

Fred was a nominee for a Canadian National Aboriginal Acheivement Award in 2001 and 2003 for his work in aboriginal arts and culture. He rcently completed his second Artist Residency with The Banff Centre in writing.