Dru-gu Choegyal Rinpoche was born in 1946 in the Province of Dru-gu, Kham, East Tibet. He was recognized by high Tibetan Masters as the 8th incarnation of Dru-gu Choegyal Gyamtso. Raised under the care and guidance of H.H. 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche for 26 years, Choegyal Rinpoche received refuge and ongoing instruction from H.E. Tsennyi Sotan. He was also instructed by H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche for 35 years, as well as by other extraordinary Khenpos, Togdens, and Rinpoches.

In 1958 Rinpoche left his monastery in Dru-gu Tibet along with many monks, nuns and lay people. The following year, His Holiness the Dalai Lama also fled to India. Since then, Rinpoche, along with thousands of others, has been living as refugees in the Himals of Northern India.

In recent years Rinpoche has returned to his homeland for short visits to give Dharma teachings to his practitioners and to begin reconstruction projects in his monastery

As an artist, Rinpoche specializes in painting, calligraphy, drawing, architecture, sculpture and masks. He cites as his ongoing inspirations "the mind, experiences, lineage masters of all Tibetan Buddhist schools, landscape, illustrated poetry and songs." His work has been acquired and displayed in galleries and museums in over half a dozen countries, and can be found in numerous private and public collections throughout the world. He will be donating his proceeds from the sale of these paintings to the reconstruction of his monastery, Dru-gu Monastery, in Tibet.

Tria is honored to present Choegyal Rinpoche's most recent collection of visionary watercolors at the gallery, with other pieces from the collection concurrently on view at The Tibet House.