Early Images
European exploration of the Pacific Rim brought artists and naturalists to Alaska to describe Native peoples and natural resources. In 1818, artist Mikhail Tikhanov was part of a Russian expedition that visited Kodiak. Here, he painted eleven watercolor portraits of Alutiiq/Sugpiaq people. These paintings are among the earliest detailed images of our ancestors. They show both the growing influence of Russian customs and the persistence of our traditions.
The Russian settlement of Three Saints Bay in 1791, lithograph from Gavril Sarychev’s Atlas.
Colonial Perspectives
Tikhanov’s watercolors preserve the faces of Alutiiq ancestors and capture valuable details of Alutiiq life—clothing, tattoos, hairstyles, jewelry, implements, and names. However, the paintings also reflect the colonial era. Many show the same person from two perspectives—a front and side view—like a scientific specimen. The paintings also lack backgrounds. People appear on a blue canvas with few other details.
A New Interpretation
To preserve ancestors’ faces and remove colonial perspectives, the Alutiiq Museum commissioned Sugpiaq artist Cheryl Lacy to create a new set of paintings. She restyled each of Tikhanov’s paintings into a single portrait. Then she placed Alutiiq people in their homeland with detailed backgrounds. Cheryl’s large canvases, bright colors, and living landscapes bring our relatives to life. They remind us that Alutiiq culture persists thanks to the strength of our ancestors.
Nankok—Kodiak Island chief
Tamaima—Kodiak Island woman
Man—Alaska Peninsula
Elder—Afognak Island
Pameisinak—Ukamok Island woman
Chief—Ugak Bay
Aiachunk—Aliaksa Island chief
Pannioiak—Kodiak Island woman
Asavakhtok—Kodiak Island man
A man demonstrating hunting techniques.
Chevinchuk—Kodiak Island woman
Note: The names and places shared here were recorded by Tikhanov.
A raven roosts in a patch of Nootka roses. A whale swims through misty waters. These are some of the colorful images that fill Cheryl Lacy’s canvases. Inspired by the beauty of Alaska and her Sugpiaq heritage, Cheryl is an avid illustrator, painter, and beader.
Cheryl has been drawing for as long as she can remember. She is largely self-taught. She began as a young graffiti artist coloring the walls of her parents’ home. Daily practice, a love of the outdoors, and classes at the University of Alaska helped to develop her skills.
Cheryl is particularly known for her ability to capture faces. In 2022, the Alutiiq Museum commissioned her to reinterpret a set of historic portraits featuring Alutiiq ancestors. It took her just five months to reimagine the eleven portraits.
Today, Cheryl is a full-time professional artist. She lives in Wasilla where she works from her home studio—surrounded by family, books, and a view of the birch forest. Her work can be found in galleries and shops across Alaska and on her website.
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