'Oil painting is not just a business - it's the thing I love most'

It's been 17 years since Wei Haihan arrived in Dafen village as a recent graduate of the Guangxi Arts University and desperate to fulfill his dream of becoming a working artist.

"The village was quite different from what you see now. The infrastructure was underdeveloped; the roads were narrow and dusty, and our workplaces were small and simple. But it was a good time for us painters," recalled the 37-year-old, who runs an art gallery and a factory in the village.

Before the 2008 financial crisis, Wei's factory received numerous orders from buyers in the United States, Europe and the Middle East.