Vendor highlight: Dancing Raven Designs

Dancing Raven Designs owner Cheryl Lacy is one of numerous vendors located in The Gathering Place, an area of the Alaska State Fair designed to highlight Alaska Native culture.

Lacy said that she's been a Fair vendor for over a decade and she looks forward to the opportunity to come back each year. She said that she’s been selling her artwork at the Fair before the Gathering Place was first established and has been a part of the area each year since it started up. She said it's a wonderful upgrade from the previous Alaska Native focused area, especially with components like the stage that showcases a wide variety of performances, demonstrations, and concerts throughout each Fair season.

“It makes it really nice,” Lacy said.

Lacy lives in Wasilla where she spends her time working on various art projects. She said one of her favorite aspects of being a Fair vendor is getting the chance to meet new people and catch up with fellow vendors she’s befriended over the years.

“We've gotten to know each other really well. It's like a community," Lacy said. “Everybody has something completely different and nobody competes with each other. We cheer each other on and we’re all really supportive of one another.”

The Gathering Place features a wide variety of Alaska Native vendors and activities throughout the Fair season. Lacy said that she's always impressed with what everyone has to offer.

“There's some awesome talent here,” Lacy said.

Lacy has Sugpiaq heritage and often highlights cultural themes and imagery in her artwork. She said that she enjoys the fact that she can showcase her heritage at the Fair and other Alaska Native cultures from across the state can feature theirs as well.

"What's nice is we get to share our culture with other people who are curious and have questions that we're able to answer and tell stories,” Lacy said.

Lacy said that she's enjoyed making art since she was young. She joked that she was a “graffiti artist” as a kid because she liked to draw on walls. She said that being able to create original designs is very important to her.

“You get to express yourself... I can tell a story with pictures," Lacy said.

Those interested in purchasing artwork from Dancing Raven Designs have plenty of options to choose from.

Lacy is a multimedia artist that creates numerous types of artwork such as watercolor paintings, cards, stickers, and decorative pendants. She even makes coloring books and watercolor kits utilizing her artwork which are big sellers at events like the Fair and Alaska Federation of Natives Convention.

A lot of Lacy’s art centers around nature and Alaska Native culture but she has a diverse range of other themes present in her projects. She noted that watercolor is her favorite medium to work with.

“I love how they react… They're really versatile," Lacy said.

Lacy said that she started Dancing Raven over 20 years ago. She said that she regularly takes commissions and works on various projects that come up throughout the year. She is currently collaborating on a book project where she and other artists are providing illustrations. She said that she worked on two other books in the past, and she recently provided paintings for the Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak. She said that she appreciates having so many different artistic opportunities and being able to share her passion with others.

“I love it. It keeps me happy," Lacy said.

For more information about The Gathering Place, visit alaskastatefair.org/site/venues/dena-stage-gathering-place