Tuktoyaktuk (Jul 03/06) - Mary-ann Taylor might skip this year's Great Northern Arts Festival. She's worried she might not be able to get hold of enough maktak for a new project.

The Inuvik-based festival is one of the best places for artists from across the North to get together and share their craft, even for those in Tuktoyaktuk. The annual event runs July 14-23.

"I'm not sure about this year," said Taylor.

The artist works primarily with soap stone and muskox antlers. Making traditional knives called ulus is another favourite past-time.

But Taylor has set her sights on working with a new medium, whale blubber or maktak. And if she goes to the festival, she might not be able to find much maktak to work with.

"I'll get only a few pieces of maktak," said Taylor, which isn't very much she added.

On the other hand, Taylor said she always looks forward to the festival.

"It's good, every year is different," she said. Taylor has attended the festival for the past four years. She still has a couple days to decide if she'll bring her art to the festival.