As part of our effort to preserve traditional Tibetan paintings styles, we are launching a new project. It is our aim to paint 12 thangkas that will form a permanent collection to be held in trust for generations to come. It will be on public display in the art gallery we are currently building at Thangde Gatsal.

If you would like to sponsor the creation of one of these masterpieces which will be executed by our master Lobsang Choegyal, please contact Sarika.

Above is an example of the first painting that will be included in the masterpiece collection, the 1000 armed Avalokiteshvara Chenrezig.

Today in Dharamsala, a week shy of the 52nd anniversary of the Tibetan people's uprising against Chinese rule, His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognized the work of several NGOs. Thangde Gatsal was among five NGOs to receive this special recognition. Also, in the name of His Holiness' mother, Tsering Deyki, a women's empowerment project was inaugurated in Dharamsala.

We share these moment with you with these photos of Lochoe and Sarika receiving recognition from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Thangde Gatsal recently had a special visit from the Honorable Union Minister of Culture, Housing and UP for the Government of India. During Kumari Selja's visit to our studio in Dharamsala on February 18th and 19th, 2011, we established the foundation stone for the upcoming Museum of Himalayan Art.

We are excited to share with you the latest developments at Thangde Gatsal Art Studio and School. We celebrated this first stage of construction by inviting J. Holly-Pogue, our patron, and Geyla, our master teacher, to cut the ribbon, officially opening the first floor of the new building. Afterwards we served lunch to over sixty of our supporters who have worked long hours to bring the project this far.

A special thanks to R. Hill and S. Wright of Denver, Colorado for hosting a fundraising event, collecting over $10,000 which will be used to construct the student hostel. Also to L. Wolfe whose generous donation secured an important land purchase—now our school is connected to the road via a good walking path. Many thanks to all our volunteers in Vancouver and New York City who helped to raise awareness of our school during the teachings of H.H. the Dalai Lama. Lastly, our heartfelt appreciation to all the founding members, their donations will be used to make the student accommodations a reality later this year.

Please enjoy the following photos to see how the donations given in 2006 made such remarkable progress in our vision to create an atmosphere where the endangered art of

Earlier this month, Thangde Gatsal was pleased to host Hollywood actress Joanna Lumley and Philippa Carrick, chief executive of the Tibet Society. Lumley picked up a thangka painting that she commissioned from our studio last fall, and both guests received a guided tour, met the artists of Thangde Gatsal and had a chance to enjoy the peaceful countryside surrounding Dharamsala.

The Kalachakra Initiation is the largest Buddhist ritual regularly conferred by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Given annually at different locations around the world, the event attracts tens of thousands of people from all religious faiths. The teaching is dedicated to the promotion of peace and tolerance amongst all people and is considered a special blessing for all those who participate and for the environment in which it is given.

One of the major projects recently completed by Thangde Gatsal consisted of four large thangka paintings commissioned for the worldwide Tibetan Buddhist Kalachakra Teachings held in Graz, Austria in October 2002. Beginning in November 2001, four students of Thangde Gatsal along with the master, Lobsang Choegyal, worked on these thangkas, which feature illustrations of Buddha Sakyamuni, the mythical kingdom of Shambala, a Kalachakra Mandala, and a yab-yum depiction of Kalachakra with his consort Vishvamata. The four 11’ x 6’ paintings took nearly a year to complete, and hung behind the throne of the Dalai Lama throughout the ceremony.