Tara McCoy (Eastern Band Cherokee), a member of the Wolf Clan, has a lifetime’s experience in multi-medium Cherokee arts and is dedicated to teaching others both traditional and contemporary forms. She began formally studying pottery, finger weaving, and beadwork in high school and has expanded her skills in the area of shell carving in the last four years after studying with renowned shell carver Dan Townsend. McCoy is inspired by her culture, Cherokee legends, and nature as she crafts her designs. Her art has won multiple awards and ribbons in North Carolina and Oklahoma as well as being exhibited in museums across the country. McCoy believes everyone is an artist and her demonstrations and workshops are in high demand both locally and nationally. She currently lives in the Birdtown Community of Cherokee, North Carolina where she is the Right Path Adult Leadership Program Specialist.