When an artist chooses a canvass, skin doesn’t immediately spring to mind.

However it has become the medium of choice for one former Jasper resident.

Nailia Minnebaeva is attempting to raise funds for several charities through a selection of her body painting artwork. Minnebaeva is selling a calendar of her provocative paintings to raise money for cancer patients, funds for a women’s shelter in Vancouver and raise AIDS awareness.

After graduating from Jasper Jr./Sr. High School in 2006, Minnebaeva originally worked at the Brushfire gallery before moving to Vancouver, where she was introduced to body art. Having already earned a Fine Arts Diploma from a private art school in Russia, she quickly enrolled in the John Casablancas Institute in Vancouver, BC. Transfixed with the metamorphosis of the human form through paint, she quickly joined a team and entered a high end gala event, where she placed well.

“I fell in love with it and I fell in love with the competition, Minnebaeva said.

Minnebaeva doesn’t use professional models for her work, preferring to use dancers, actresses and others.

“It’s an idea of beauty without surgery,” Minnebaeva said.

The painting literally transforms the personality of the painted models. Minnebaeva said the models come in with insecurities, but emerge with a sense of love and pride.

“They are not the same person who walked into the house. The element of love is absorbed by them,” Minnebaeva said.

She said she also wants to bring out individual female beauty, which has an enormous effect upon self esteem.

There is an idea or spirit behind every work of art in the calendar, entitled Layers of Beauty. However while the process looks easy, the intricate detail requires hours or preparation.

“The body takes five hours and the hair takes two hours,” Minnebaeva said.

Her work has also earned her an invitation to the 2010 Olympic games, where she will be painting models for the opening ceremonies.

“Vancouver is prolific in body art,” Minnebaeva said.

Minnebaeva said she wants to bring a body painting show to Jasper one day, and hopes to inspire others to join her. Much of her work is also about inspiring beauty and she said Jasper would be a great spot for such a show.

Minnebaeva’s calendar is available at several businesses in Jasper.