Fred Beaver (1911-1980) was a Muscogee Creek artist who was born in Oklahoma. He served in the United States Air Force in Italy in World War II. He worked full-time for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, put painted in his spare time and won awards in every major Indian art competition. Although he was of Creek descent, Beaver is best known for his paintings of Seminole life. When asked why he painted the Seminoles, he said that he wanted to be different. Beaver was designated as Master Artist by the Five Civilized Tribes Musem in 1973. In 1976, Beaver was awarded the Outstanding Oklahoman of the Year award. His work is in the permanent collections of many institutions, including the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, and the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma.