Holland College students showcase, sell art works in student union event

by Nash Alonto 

Feb. 29, 2024

Jordanian international student Zaid Daqa is a second-year bioscience student at Holland College. He has dabbled in 3D print art for almost a year. He was one of about 20 student-artists who showcased and sold their artwork during the Holland College Student Union’s art show and sale at Florence Simmons Performance Hall on Wed., Feb. 28, 2024. (photo by Nash Alonto)

The tables were decorated with various types of artworks, while relaxing jazz music is also played up on stage. 

Zaid Daqa showcased his works, comprised of turtle and rose keychains, as well as small statuettes of red foxes, a common symbol of P.E.I. They were all created from a 3D printer. 

“I just wanted to see if my work is interesting to other people, and I wanted to make some of the money back I spent on the 3D printer and the material, and hopefully that would allow me to get more material, more plastic, and more paints for other projects,” he said. 

Daqa is a second-year bioscience student from Amman, Jordan, and has lived here on the Island for a year and a half. He has been dabbling in 3D print art since summer of last year. He was one of 20 student-artists from Holland College who showcase and sold their works during the Holland College Student Union’s (HCSU) first Art Show and Sale at the Florence Simmons Performance Hall on Wed., Feb. 28, 2024. 

Other works displayed included stickers, decorative stationary, embroidered clothing, wind chime, tiny booklets, photographs, and even wooden cutting boards. 

Zaid Daqa showcasing his 3D print art during the Holland College Student Union’s art show and sale at Florence Simmons Performance Hall on Wed., Feb. 28, 2024. (photo by Nash Alonto)

“I’m a science person, first and foremost, but I also started picking up looking at 3D projects online, and how people are able to create projects that they’re really interested in…so I guess I’m here today just to show the capabilities of 3D printing and how accessible it has become,” he said. 

The idea behind the event was inspired from the Christmas craft fairs around the Island, said HSCU Events and Communications Co-ordinator Emma Doucette. 

“They’re just events that happened in the community. They happen in, like, school gyms and things like that, and people from the community actually have to pay for their table, so they’ll rent out a table for the event and sell their artwork,” Doucette said. 

“This is kind of a variation of that, where it’s the same idea but it’s free for the students to take part.” 

Daqa plans to study further for his bachelor’s degree in molecular biology at UPEI after graduation. In the meantime, he also plans to experiment more on 3D print art and hopefully be able to make back the money he invested on the 3D printer and materials. 

“So (I would) hopefully see what the demand is for 3D-printed art, where my weak points are, what my strong points are, and build from there,” he said.