Monique Kotszty | Banner Monica Preciado, senior early childhood studies major, paints canvases to help fundraise for her International Service Project.
Students currently participating in the International Service Project are encouraged to use creative endeavors every year to raise money for the three-week program.
The Office of Spiritual Life at California Baptist University hosts the International Service Projects, giving students the opportunity to serve in other countries and learn about the culture.
Guadalupe Buitron, senior psychology and biology double major, and Monica Preciado, senior early childhood studies major, have combined their artistic abilities to start a creative fundraiser to help cover the $3,500 for their individual ISP trips.
As a visual arts minor, Preciado said she had wanted to sell canvases to raise money for ISP during the previous year but never found the right method. Buitron said she came up with the idea while brainstorming for a personal fundraiser.
“In my spare time, I usually just do canvases for fun,” Preciado said. “Last year, during ISP I wanted to sell canvases but I just didn’t know how it would work.”
When they began discussing the idea of selling art together, Preciado said using it as a fundraiser just seemed to make sense.
Their project, @foreverhisbeloved, utilizes Instagram as its primary social media platform. Buitron said their fundraiser gained followers mainly through their own social circles and word-of-mouth. Friends would see their art and want to purchase it either for themselves or as presents for other people.
“In the beginning when we first started, we just did freestyle,” Preciado said. “We put those up and on our Instagram page and put that if you wanted a customized order to let
us know.”
The two artists have different specialties, with Preciado doing most of the customized canvases and Buitro doing most of the freestyle quotes. Preciado said it was important for them to have good communication with those who ordered customized canvases.
The first batch of premade canvases have already been sold and the two women are currently working on the second batch.
Preciado said their project has opened up many doors they did not expect.
“There are people I never thought would approach us that have, like (the Office of Mobiliaztion) and even the women’s ministry have asked us about doing canvases for them,” Preciado said.
Their project offers ready-made canvases shown on their Instagram, as well as custom orders. The canvases range anywhere from $5 to $35
depending on size, detailing and time.
