Lucille Lossiah

Lucille Lossiah began basket weaving at eight years old just to see if she could make the same types of beautiful creations her mother Mary Jane Lossiah and her grandmother Betty Long Lossiah made.  She started working in white oak and maple until the mid-1980s when she was taught how to scrape and weave with river cane by Emma Taylor and Helen Smith at the Oconaluftee Indian Village. 

As Lucille has perfected her craft over the years she is very thankful for being blessed by the Creator to be able to make these beautiful baskets.  She has taught multiple people this craft from children in ninth through twelfth grade as well as adults wanting to learn. 

Lucille has won multiple awards for her baskets at the Cherokee Fall Festival and Cherokee Art Market.  She also has items on display at the Atlanta History Center.  In 2010 she was recognized by the First Peoples Fund and awarded the 2011 Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award Fellowship. 

Lucille resides in the Painttown community where she continues to create her baskets along with teaching the language at the New Kituwah Academy.