Unique art on display

Amanda Bennett's first exhibition has seen her strip her work back to bare bones - literally.

The Cambridge artist's exhibition features sculptures made from animal bones.

Amanda, 25, says she has honoured the spirituality of the animals from which her work was sourced.

Amanda started working on the bone art sculptures last year following a nine-month working holiday around Australia.

She says she was inspired during an "alternative" gala in Byron Bay.

Back in Cambridge, friends who were hunters supplied her with bull, deer and goat skulls and hide.

She decorated the skulls with carvings, mandala images and crystals, mounted them on hide and framed the works.

"The exhibition respects the life of these animals - they live on through art," she said.

Amanda has named the exhibition Atta, which is Buddhist Pali for "soul", and believes the works make beautiful and original decor with spirituality and meaning.

Amanda, who graduated from Wintec's Bachelor of Media Arts in 2009, works full-time as a graphic designer in Hamilton.

Atta is at the Old School Arts Centre in Stewart St, Raglan, and runs until March 19.