Aaliyah Swimmer

Being involved in the arts during school Aaliyah Swimmer chose to take inspiration from her grandmother and start painting before she even graduated high school.  Aaliyah continued her path to graduate Western Carolina University in 2021 with a Bachelors Degree in English and Cherokee Studies, now finding herself currently in the Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program (CLMAP) at the New Kituwah Academy in Cherokee North Carolina. 

When she loads acrylic paint into her brushes, Aaliyah conveys a message.  Either from the unique landscapes that surround us, or to very important messages such as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement.  Ms. Swimmer is honored and very grateful to the co-op community for accepting her into the Qualla Arts and Crafts.