Thangka artists in Gojo county of the Tibet autonomous region are painting their way to prosperity by incorporating fresh design elements into the traditional art form.

The county, located in eastern Tibet, is a hub for traditional Tibetan art forms, such as thangka painting, pottery, calligraphy and coppersmiths.

Thangka artists in Gojo mainly practice the Mansar style of Tibetan thangka painting, which originated in the 17th century.

According to the county government, Gojo has 11 thangka painting cooperatives and more than 200 artists. The total revenue generated by thangka painting in the county exceeded 10 million yuan ($1.46 million) in 2019.

But what sets these artists apart from their counterparts in the rest of Tibet is that they have adapted their style of painting to incorporate and portray contemporary scenes and themes.

Last year, the top thangka artists from each of Gojo's painting cooperatives joined forces to create seven giant paintings, in a project backed by a 2.4 million yuan ($353,500) grant from the county's cultural bureau.

So far, these masters have produced works depicting China's 56 ethnic groups, as well as the experiences of people who have been lifted out of poverty and the nation's efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sherab Nyima, a thangka master and the founder of the county's Demar Art Heritage Cooperative, said he has painted thangka for more than 20 years and wanted to enrich the art form by incorporating modern elements.