BY DON ATED
Looking back, 2020 was a challenging year for everyone, including Dr. Luis Cardenas, medical director of CIFO (Integral Physiotherapy and Orthopedics Center) in San Jose del Cabo and leading orthopedic and trauma surgeon.
As a way of alleviating his struggles during COVID, Dr. Cardenas discovered that watercolor painting was a cathartic version of meditation that worked for him.
Dr. Cardenas spent hours each day creating multiple watercolors, proving to be an incredibly healing process for him. This creative outlet became such a source of inspiration to him that he decided to channel that creativity into something positive for the community of Los Cabos.
Dr. Cardenas used his new artistic skillset to create OperArte; a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting people to the world of watercolors while assisting those in desperate need of orthopedic surgery who do not have the means to pay for it.
What makes OperArte unique is that its working principle is grounded in reciprocity. OperArte donors don’t just bask in the knowledge that they are changing the life of someone who desperately needs help, but they are also receiving a piece of art, which will surely serve as a constant reminder of their valuable contribution and the profound effect it had on someone’s life.
The concept of OperArte is simple: Visit the OperArte website, pick a piece of art that you love and purchase it for $50 US plus national shipping. 100% of the art proceeds go towards surgical procedures for members of our community who are unable to pay for much-needed surgeries.
Since launching his cause, Dr. Cardenas uses whatever free time he has available to him to create watercolor art for OperArte. All of Dr. Cardenas’ art can be found on the Operate website: https://operarte.com.mx/. Each piece of art is priced at $50 US, in addition to a $12 US shipping fee. Art lovers can pay for the art online and arrange to have it shipped to an address in Mexico or they can reach out, too.
OperArte to place the order and arrange to pick the art up at the CIFO office at a convenient time, thereby negating the delivery fee.
The key purpose of the Operate website is so that users can easily peruse and purchase any of the existing watercolors in stock. If there’s a piece of art that you would love to own, but it’s showing as sold out on the website, you can contact OperArte and order the art, with the understanding that there will be a waiting period while Dr. Cardenas recreates that piece, especially for you.
Perhaps there’s a particular view of Los Cabos that you would love to have converted into watercolor form? Or a beloved fur baby whose portrait you would see hanging on your wall? All custom requests are possible. Simply send your design concept to OperArte at contacto@operarte.com.mx and allow Dr. Cardenas to create your watercolor.
Are you an artist living in Los Cabos who would like to offer up some pieces of work to OperArte’s cause? We welcome anyone to contact OperArte who would like to expand upon our existing artistic offerings.
It’s also worth mentioning that you don’t have to be an art lover to donate to Operate. If art is simply not your thing, feel free to donate without receiving any art in exchange.
Despite the best of intentions, OperArte faces challenges in maintaining its operations and expanding its reach. Like many cultural initiatives, OperArte relies on the generosity of others to operate. If you are unable to contribute, share this article with others and spread the word. The mission is to remain committed to healing those less fortunate while spreading the joy of art ownership.
Perhaps it comes as no surprise that Dr Cardenas’ talents expand beyond the operating room. If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Cardenas, you’ll surely understand the importance of supporting this worthy cause. “ I think this is a good project, which gives meaning to a difficult stage of life for many people. I hope our plan works. We are going to try to touch people´s hearts,” says Dr. Cardenas about the OperArte organization. If for no other reason behind a donation, I suppose the best reason of all, in Dr Cardenas’ words is to “Do it with love.”
For art lovers throughout the Los Cabos community, OperArte is a unique philanthropic resource for us to invest in our personal art appreciation while directly improving the lives of others.
