Colors blend with meticulously placed lettering next to vibrant paper lanterns ready to be shipped. Handcrafted journals wait for memories of the coming year alongside custom-made greeting cards and Christmas ornaments.
The shelves and tables in Gina Zapperiello-Illescas’ Pismo Beach studio are full of the crafty paper products that she makes and sells on Etsy through her Pismo Paper Arts page.
But the business is more than just a means for expression. It also supports the foundation that Gina and her husband, Richard Illescas, founded.
“It was something I always wanted to do, but never had the time—then the pandemic hit, and suddenly … well, you know the rest,” Gina said.
The business initially arose from a lack of shelf and floor space resulting from myriad paper collages Gina started crafting during the pandemic. What began as simple scrapbook collages evolved into an experimental art style that relied on acrylic paint, gel pens, stenciling, and 3D paper pop-ups.
“It was a little out of control,” she said with a laugh. “So being able to turn to a storefront like Etsy allowed me to continue making things without having paper overflowing out of my little workshop.”
Her collages morphed into custom-made accordion journals, handcrafted Christmas ornaments, and pop-up greeting cards. Now, Gina’s crafting custom-printed paper lanterns by combining lantern prints she found online and integrating her own designs.
However, creative expression is only part of the overall goal for Pismo Paper Arts. The couple’s charity, FTC Inc., receives all the proceeds from those online sales and helps provide educational opportunities to orphaned girls in Baja California.
The charity has its origins in the couple’s experience living in Ensenada, Mexico, after Richard retired from his position at IBM and Gina retired from her work as a teacher. There, she continued her work as an educator by tutoring students in English, where she witnessed the unfortunate circumstances the girls at the school faced. After talking to some school officials about the impact financial support could have, the couple decided to turn their good fortune into a springboard for charity.
“These girls are living in places called ‘casa hogares,’ which are essentially orphanages,” Gina said. “Without the kind of support [the charity] is able to provide, they don’t have anything to build upon as far as their futures are concerned once they turn 18.”
The charity provides educational support, books, and life skills to school-age girls across Baja, many of whom were taken from their homes by government family services due to negative home environments.
“Growing up in El Salvador, I would push for those with wealth around me to give back to those in more unfortunate circumstances … so when I was in the position to help in retirement, I jumped at the opportunity,” Richard said. “There are probably geniuses at those schools who will never have the opportunity to see that potential through because of the circumstances, but now they can.”
With Pismo Paper Arts thriving as an online storefront and means of artistic expression, Gina is happy for her work to contribute to building a future for these girls.
“My brain just made the instant connection,” Gina said. “It’s just a perfect blend of my artistic expression and giving back to those who will really benefit from it.” Δ
Freelancer Adrian Vincent Rosas is jotting down notes in his new handmade journal. Reach him through the editor at clanham@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Dec 22, 2022 – Jan 1, 2023.