Shawna's childhood years gave no hint of the quilter she would become. A sewing machine given as a High School graduation gift opened the door to "necessity sewing" of cloths, for herself and her children. Moving North in 1984, Shawna, husband Ian and family spent 5 years in Frobisher Bay (Iqaluit. Nunavut) before moving to Yellowknife in 1989.

A single quilting class sparked an interest just prior to the arrival of her third child, and Shawna the Quilter has not looked back. Beginning with traditional patterns as most quilters do, Shawna moved from traditional quilts to art quilts in 1996.

In 1996 Shawna received a NWT Arts Council grant, which allowed her to explore design work and fabric dyeing. The four hand-dyed Arts Council quilts joining 6 more quilts in a solo show in Yellowknife in 1998. One of the Arts Council quilts, "Northern Lights II" was donated to the Yellowknife Baker Senior Centre, and now graces the entry hall.

In 1996 Shawna's quilt, "When Winter Comes" was included in Gail Hunt's book, 'Quilts Across Canada'. Additional quilts were featured in Up Here and Above and Beyond magazines respectively in 2000 and 2001.

Shawna's works extensively on wall quilts that explore, not only the northern landscapes but he internal landscapes as well.

Contact Shawna