Yellowknife (Mar 03/06) - When women's lives fall to pieces, what better medium to sew their struggles together than a quilt?

Fabric artist Shawna Lampi-Legaree explores the emotional lives of women and confronts grave social issues using cotton and thread.

This piece of fabric art touring the world as part of the International Quilt Fest, by Shawna Lampi-Legaree was built around a quotation from post-impressionist painter Paul Gauguin. - photo courtesy of Shawna Lampi-Legaree

She began sewing traditional-style bed quilts 16 years ago, but soon grew bored with conventional patterns.

"I wanted to do art," she said. "Now I make quilts that aren't necessarily warm and cuddly."

A series of four wall-sized quilts Lampi-Legaree created between 2000 and 2004 depicts themes of betrayal, sorrow, rage and shame.

"Art stresses people out, especially art that makes people think, and that's alright," she said.

She drew from personal stories of failed relationships, cancer diagnoses, addiction and abuse experienced by women she cares about. Most healed. These abstract quilts range from dark, disturbing spirals of pain, loneliness and tears to brighter images of hope, acceptance and recovery.

"Even out of the most harrowing events there is healing that can be done," she said, explaining the message of the series.

The artist hand-dyes her own cotton print fabric to get the exact blend of shades and textures she wants.

She uses the paper piecing method to construct the final works.

Her art has earned praise at numerous national and international fabric art exhibitions.

Today she has five pieces of fabric art on tour throughout North America and Europe following their inclusion in the 2005 International Quilt Fest in Houston, Texas.

Her work entitled "Sunrise Over Igloo" is part of Canada Uncovered, the first Canadian quilt exhibition at the Museum of the American Quilter's Society in Paducah, Kentucky.