McMaster alumna Zeinab Garda is in love this Valentine’s Day — with creating art.
Her new printmaking business, Lost Arts Studio, has launched just in time to showcase a line of whimsical Valentine’s Day cards both online and at local businesses in Ottawa, where she lives.
“Art can be expensive but I love to explore ways of making it more accessible for everyone,” she explains.
Initially starting her studies at McMaster in psychology, Garda switched into the cognitive science of language program in the Faculty of Humanities after learning about it through peers.
“It combines psychology with another passion of mine, language. I was drawn to the linguistic courses and the opportunity to take French as a minor,” she says.
The wide range of courses offered helped prepare Garda for life after graduation.
“We dove deep into the intricacies of how to ‘say the right thing’ in courses like Pragmatics, and what structure is best to convey a message in Syntax. It trained us in problem solving, analytical skills, communication.”
What makes her Humanities education special, Garda says, are the endless possibilities for career paths.
Before launching her art business, Garda worked as a bilingual Speech Language Pathologist in Ottawa, treating patients with difficulty in communication and swallowing.
“Being a Speech Language Pathologist is hard but rewarding work,” she explains. “You create such meaningful partnerships with both your patients and your colleagues while sharing the common goal of your patient’s best health. You get to use a lot of the theories and strategies you learn in school. You have so many different populations you can work with. You meet a lot of lovely people. It’s a very people centred job.”
Garda tapped into an entirely different set of skills to launch Lost Arts Studio: digital graphic design, marketing, community building. She collaborated with local women owned businesses to feature a line of greetings cards displayed in cafes and flower shops in time for Valentine’s Day.
The training in problem solving and innovation Garda received during her undergraduate studies has been especially useful as she continues to experiment with different mediums and collaborate with more local businesses.
“Lately I’ve been making prints, taking some custom print orders to fill people’s empty walls. It’s nice to have artwork in your home that was made for you, rather than picked up at the store with thousands like it.”
What advice does Garda have for current McMaster Humanities students?
“Try everything! For your electives, pick things which are out of the box or that you’re curious about. Art courses, music therapy courses. Pick something that genuinely interests you,” she says.
“My time at McMaster gave me an opportunity to experience life in so many different contexts and overall to think critically, and to dare to think differently.”
