Last updated September 2026
Choosing mandala art for your home comes down to size, colour and where the light falls, and whether you buy a finished piece or have one painted for you. Here is what to look for, using pieces from Timaru mandala artist Vinitha Sarath of Crafts Bucket, who paints intricate dot mandalas by hand, one dot at a time, in small batches.
★View the Best Gift Shops in Timaru→The artist behind Crafts Bucket
Vinitha is a self-taught artist who works from a private studio in Waimataitai. Her speciality is dot mandala work: circular designs built outward from a single centre point, where every ring is made from hundreds of individually placed dots of paint. It is slow, precise work, and it is why no two of her pieces come out quite the same.
Alongside mandalas, the studio paints pieces inspired by Indian folk art traditions, such as Madhubani, and designs built around familiar motifs like the tree of life, butterflies and peacocks. You can read more about her background on the meet the artist page.
What is in the collection
Round wall mandalas
The core of the range is round wall pieces in bold, layered colour, from rainbow spectrums to cool blues and warm reds and golds. Sizes run from small pieces of around 25 cm, which come with a tabletop easel, up to large statement pieces of 120 cm across.
Mirror mandalas
Some designs are built around a central mirror, with smaller mirror inserts set into the pattern. They catch the light as it moves across a room, so they work well opposite a window or in a hallway that needs brightening.
Chakra and tree of life pieces
A vertical seven-panel chakra wall hanging paints each chakra in its traditional colour and symbol, from red at the base to violet at the top. The tree of life designs use the same dot technique to build branches and leaves.
Smaller pieces
The studio also paints trays, coaster sets, sun catchers that double as car hangings, fridge magnets and tote bags, which make easier gifts when a full wall piece is more than you need.
What the pieces are made from
| Part | What Crafts Bucket uses |
|---|---|
| Base | Birch wood or MDF panels, and heavy cotton canvas |
| Paint | Highly pigmented acrylics, with pearlescent paints on some designs |
| Details | Mirror inserts and metallic accents on selected pieces |
| Finish | A protective varnish seal, and resin coating on trays |
The seal is what keeps the colours bright and lets the surface be wiped clean with a soft, dry cloth. As with any painted artwork, hang it out of strong direct sun and away from heaters and damp walls.
Choosing the right piece for your room
A mandala works as a focal point, so it helps to decide where it will hang before you choose one.
- Size to the wall. A 25 cm piece suits a shelf, desk or bedside table on its easel. A 60 to 70 cm piece holds its own above a bed or couch, and the 120 cm pieces are for a large feature wall.
- Match the palette to the room. Cool blues and violets sit easily in bedrooms, while reds, golds and rainbow designs lift a living area or entrance.
- Think about light. The raised dots show their texture best in soft side light. Mirror pieces come alive where the light moves during the day.
- Group smaller pieces. Two or three small mandalas in related colours can fill a wall as well as one large piece.
Having a mandala painted for you
Every piece in the original mandala paintings collection is a one-off, so if you see one you love it is worth acting on. If nothing is quite right, Crafts Bucket takes commissions painted to your space, your colours and your story.
To get a commission started, it helps to have:
- The size you want, measured against the wall or shelf it is going on.
- Your colours, as photos of the room, a cushion or a paint swatch.
- Any meaning you want built in, such as a name, a date or a motif.
- A timeframe, since hand-dotted work takes time and cannot be rushed.
The commissioned works gallery shows sold pieces made for past clients, which is a good way to see what is possible. The custom order page explains how to get in touch about your own.
Where to buy
Crafts Bucket sells through its online store, with Afterpay available at checkout, and ships across New Zealand and internationally with tracking. Because the studio is private rather than a shopfront, the best way to see the work in person is at one of the markets and expos Vinitha attends, including home shows and lifestyle expos in Christchurch. The upcoming schedule is listed on the Crafts Bucket website.
For anything else, email in**@*************co.nz or call 027 337 2933.
