The artist
FRED, painter(Denis Fréchette)
Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec
Trained in visual arts and through several workshops. Painting full time since 2016.
Painted portrait of the artist
The statement, in his own words
Fred's practice is founded on colour — making music of its shades, or at least trying to stir a comparable emotion, letting the song of images be heard. Melodious painting in several styles: a classical landscape, a blues forest, a jazz sunset, a pop cityscape…
Four registers
“Melodious painting in several styles.” The four registers come from his own statement of practice: he is the one who names them. Not a filing system — more an open thought about his painting. One canvas for each, to hear what he means.
The studio
Painting
- canvases catalogued
- 206
- exhibitions since 2016
- 13
- the earliest in the body of work
- 2000
Fred has lived in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine since 2016. He paints at home: the studio is in the house, not a rented space somewhere else.
He says it plainly — he loves what he does. You can see it in the pace: 206 canvases catalogued, the earliest going back to 2000. It is a practice that never stopped.
See all works (206)Everything else he paints
In the studio the subject changes with every canvas: a cat on the lookout, a lighthouse set among the dunes.
Charcoal
Ayiti
2010Biography
His training began at CEGEP du Vieux-Montréal, from 1972 to 1978, in visual arts and architectural technology. It resumed much later at Université Laval: a certificate in visual arts in 2013, then a certificate in art history, twenty-one credits completed.
Ink and watercolour
Ink nudes
In between, portraiture. From 1995 to 2005 he worked on life drawing — at the YMCA with Jocelyne Duchesne, at the Société artistique et culturelle de Québec, then with François Lamontagne, Tanya Morand and the painter Odette Fortier Auclair. In 2003, a summer workshop at Université Laval carried a title that sums up the decade: “Illustrating expression”.
Charcoal
Portrait of a dandy
2000In 2006 he took a sumi-e drawing residency in the Ardèche, France — ink, a soft brush, the stroke you do not take back.
He has exhibited since 2016, and at the Café de la Grave every second summer. To these are added Galerie Espace Solo, Collectif Panorama, and Verdun with Aux Îles en Ville. Since 2022 he has taught drawing and painting on occasion — first for Développement communautaire Unîle, then through the Municipality's recreation programme.
Relevant training
Relevant training
- 2013Certificate in visual arts, Université Laval
- —Certificate in art history, Université Laval (21 credits completed)
- 2006Sumi-e drawing residency, Ardèche, France
- 2003Summer workshop “Illustrating expression”, Université Laval
- 2000–2005Life-drawing and painting studio led by the painter Odette Fortier Auclair
- 2000–2001Painting, form and the human face, with the painter Tanya Morand
- 1999Portrait painting with François Lamontagne (Maison Jaune)
- 1997–2005Member of the Société artistique et culturelle de Québec — drawing, portrait and life-drawing studios
- 1995–1996Life painting, YMCA, with Jocelyne Duchesne
- 1972–1978Visual arts and architectural technology, CEGEP du Vieux-Montréal
Teaching
- 2025, 2026Drawing and painting teacher, recreation programme of the Municipalité des Îles-de-la-Madeleine
- 2022–2024Drawing and painting teacher, Développement communautaire Unîle
Exhibitions
13 solo and group exhibitions since 2016, in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec City and Montreal — alongside several group shows with the Société artistique et culturelle de Québec.
- 2026L'Île d'EntréeCafé de la Grave · Îles-de-la-Madeleine · 3–23 AugustSee the exhibition →
- 2025Galerie Espace SoloÎles-de-la-Madeleine · 5–21 March
- 2024La Mi-CarêmeCafé de la Grave · Îles-de-la-Madeleine · 5–25 AugustSee the exhibition →
- 2024Collectif PanoramaÎles-de-la-Madeleine · August
All 13 since 2016 are gathered on their own page, with those that have their story told.
The exhibitions page