PITTSBORO — She creates whimsical works of art and shapes elaborate sculptures out of clay. However, an internationally known artist is struggling to put the pieces back together after a devastating fire ripped through her art studio.

The Monday morning fire destroyed Siglinda Scarpa's Goat House Gallery in Pittsboro.

While she is heartsick about the fire, it is not the first time she has faced adversity. About 20 years ago, she refused to cooperate with the Mafia, so they totaled her Rome gallery.

"They destroyed everything in the school," she said. "They cracked everything, stepping on it and throwing it down."

But this time, the damage seems to run a little deeper.

"I have to start all over again," she said. "Who says life is fair?"

While members of the tight-knit arts community offer her studio space and understanding, Scarpa is trying to salvage what she can.

"It's just a matter of looking at it with a different eye," she said, looking at the charred tiles. "Maybe some of the tiles are going to be beautiful. Who knows?"