Aliea was born and raised in South Hadley, Massachusetts. She attended Holyoke Community College and Massachusetts College of Art to attain an A.A. in Visual Art and a B.F.A. in Painting. She now resides in Oakland, CA and is the Master Teacher for Monart School of the Arts.

In February of 2003 Aliea's mother died of cancer. When she was diagnosed four months earlier, Aliea began to use art as a tool for understanding (or not understanding) mortality and the grieving and healing process.

She is a Baha'i, and also enjoys writing poetry and music, cooking, chess, and nice weather.