Dhargyey Buddhist Centre resident teacher Geshe Lobsang Dhonyoe is making a sand mandala in Dunedin.
The Tibetan monk is pouring grains of crushed and coloured marble for about three weeks to create a depiction of the celestial abode of the archetypal female Buddha, Tara.
The work was being done in the temple room at the centre in Royal Tce.
The door to the room has to remain shut to stop the resident cat Trixie jumping on to the artwork.
''That is the only challenge so far,'' he said.
Centre director Peter Small said the centre was in the two-storeyed brick building Hudson House, which was built in the 1870s.
Small pieces of an old Italian marble bath were scattered in the garden.
The monk ground the marble with a mortar and pestle and then coloured it to create the work.
The work was part of Arts Festival Dunedin and people could watch the spiritual practitioner at the centre free of charge during the festival between September 30 and October 9.
At the end of the festival, the sand would be swept up to remind people how short and changeable life was, Mr Small said.
''It is a lesson to not get to stuck in our ways and set in our ideas about who we are or what we are doing.''
Arts Festival Dunedin director Nicholas McBryde said the mandala was a ''lovely way'' to start and finish the festival.
The 120 festival performances over 10 days start on September 30.
The first of the international artists arrive in Dunedin next week.
''We are anxious and excited ... all stops are out,'' Mr McBryde said.
