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INUVIK - There is some new art in the works in Inuvik.

Artist Marnie Hilash has some time to work on an oil painting thanks to a contribution from the NWT Arts Council.

Hilash is a multi-media artist who has tried many techniques to find what she likes.

"I like to make the joke that I do everything but ceramics," said Hilash.

"I had to draw the line somewhere and ceramics got cut."

Earlier this year, she applied for a grant from the arts council so she could focus on completing a painting.

Hilash has a master's degree in visual arts from the University of Victoria.

"My major was painting but that took on a lot of sculpting and photography as well," she said.

For her upcoming project, Hilash said she is taking a step back from her progressive style and is going to use oil-based paints.

"It's something very traditional," she said.

She said she had kept away from using oil-based paints because of her reaction to the chemicals and solvents involved.

"They've come out now with water-based oil paints," she said.

"I'm very excited about trying them out."

Hilash said the water-based colours have been out for some time but she had only recently read reviews of the paint.

"Artists have been saying that they're just as good as the traditional kind," she said.

Hilash said most recently she has surrounded herself with Japanese culture and anime.

"My newest project will focus largely on my latest mania, which is Japanese ball-jointed dolls," she said.

She said she plans to use the dolls as models for her paintings.

She said one challenge of using the dolls and oil paint is the dolls are made of polyurethane that can be damaged by oil paint.

"I'll have to be careful with the two of them," she said.

The title for her new project will be Oil and Water.

"It works on many levels because oil and water are two things that shouldn't be combined but are," she said.

"I'd been working on sketches and things for the project for some time now," she said.

Once her term is up with her current employer, Hilash plans to make the project her "9 to 9" job.

"Once you get started, it's hard to stop," she said of her work.

She applied for the funding in January and said the process takes time and patience is needed.

"It's a waiting game," she said.

Hilash received her first arts grant in Manitoba when she finished her undergraduate degree there.

"I've had a few grants with the NWT Arts Council before as well," she said.

"They've been very supportive."