PA woman diagnosed with cancer makes art out of dryer lint

MONROE COUNTY, Pa. (CNN) — A hundred miles north of Philadelphia, a woman is turning lint into art.

That's right, the stuff that comes out of dryers.

"That's the piece there. We put the overlay over it."

Some of the most creative people find art in unique places.

Heidi Hooper found it in the dryer.

“This is many, many years of collecting lint," Hooper said.

Lint in every color you could possibly imagine.

“People send me their dryer lint from all over the world. I've gotten stuff from Australia and London," Hooper said.

And as recent as Thursday, a donation from a seamstress on Broadway.

When Hooper was diagnosed with cancer, she lost a lot of mobility in her right hand.

She was in need of some extra help and comfort.

That came in the form on chenille throw blankets that got washed and then dried and then created mounds of lint.

“So, I just spent three years while I was sick just trying to figure out something to do with it,” said Hooper. “I tried everything."

Not to mention ...

"Oddly enough, I’m allergic to paint," said Hooper.

But true artists can find inspiration anywhere -- like a habit you can't kick.

"So, I took that monster and used it as a therapy, so that every day it gave me something to strive for."

She's made countless pieces most recently making headlines for a piece she did capturing “Saved by the Bell” alum Mario Lopez.

“It helps me cope because I have constant pain, so it helps me cope with it," Hooper said.

Many of the art pieces incorporate her love for cats and are made with patience, discipline and passion in each individual fiber.

If you'd like to see more of Heidi's work, you can go to her website, heidihooper.com.

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