An Interview with Céline Khairallah - Visual Design

Céline Khairallah is a designer, artist, and educator based in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Born in Beirut in 1982, she studied advertising and art direction at ALBA (Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts). 

In 2011, Céline founded her creative studio and brand س | SCENE – a name playing on the Arabic letter "Sīn" (س), a homonym for the English word "scene." The studio is rooted in modern interpretations of Arabic calligraphy, illustration, and graphic design. Céline is recognized as a modern interpretationist of these forms, creating work imbued with fragments of her lived experience in Beirut until 2021 and the communities that shaped her practice. 

Her work explores the intersection of art-making, traditional craftsmanship, contemporary design, and innovative production methods. Deeply inspired by Beirut’s urban landscape, themes of cultural heritage, identity, memory, and typography are central to her practice, often expressed through bold forms. She produces timeless objects including textiles, home accessories, jewelry, and art prints. 

Céline is a master of techniques like silkscreen printing and digital fabric printing, using them to transform traditional Arabic calligraphy into contemporary functional objects and art. This approach bridges handcraft and modern techniques, embodying a dialogue between cultural heritage and modern design, as well as the personal and universal. Her unique conceptual perspective blends art with function, innovation, and design. 

Since relocating to Canada in 2021, Céline has navigated a new artistic landscape, notably without direct access to the Lebanese craftsmen she previously collaborated with. This shift has led her to reimagine her practice, exploring art as a self-standing form of expression while actively seeking innovative ways to sustain its accessibility and functionality. 

Alongside her studio practice, Céline is a passionate educator and lecturer in creativity, design, and culture. She is committed to fostering inclusivity and making meaningful, accessible art for all. Her work consistently bridges the traditional and contemporary, craftsmanship and innovation, resulting in bold, timeless creations. 

How does your background in advertising and graphic design influence how you think about composition and space in your art?

I studied advertising and graphic design and worked as an in-house graphic designer for a long time before launching my own design studio, where art and design have always co-habitated.  

Because of my advertising background and love for photography, I'm very sensitive to composition and pop culture. 

I love to play with "how fast does the viewer understand what they are seeing?" In advertising and visual communication, we want the viewer to understand quickly, but there's poetry in art that needs time to be understood. It's in this space - between immediate impact and slow discovery - that I often find myself creating. My work might grab attention immediately, but then it invites the viewer to linger and find layers they didn't notice at first glance. 

What feelings or ideas do you hope to evoke through your designs?

I think as humans we're witnessing horrible and difficult times right now, and it's through expression - whether music, dance, or visual arts - that we're able to continue and maintain hope. 

What I hope to evoke is simply... humanity. Connection. The feeling that, despite everything, there's still beauty worth creating and sharing. 

My work becomes a way of saying 'we're still here, we're still making, we're still hoping.' Sometimes that's enough.

Which design principles do you return to in your work? 

While I use various design principles, I consistently return to restraint and rhythm. 

In jewelry and silkscreen work, I love limited color palettes - the medium demands it, but constraints often create stronger, more cohesive pieces. 

I'm also drawn to pattern and visual rhythm - how the eye moves through the work, how elements create flow or tension. 

These principles reinforce each other: a restrained palette lets patterns emerge clearly, while thoughtful rhythm makes simple elements feel dynamic. 

What’s a teaching moment you’ve experienced that surprised you as both an educator and artist?  

A teaching moment that truly surprised me happened when I realized that students will only genuinely learn from a teacher they've built a connection with. I had always focused on delivering strong content, but I discovered that the relationship comes first.  

What caught me off guard was how this played out differently across cultures - teaching in both Lebanon and Canada opened my eyes to how students from different backgrounds express engagement and build trust in unique ways. One particular moment stood out when a typically quiet student suddenly became animated during a creative project, not because of my technique or instruction, but because they felt seen and understood as an individual.  

How do you integrate the act of educating into the design process itself? 

I believe in project-based education. My approach is process-based learning - teaching through doing, making, and iterating. 

Students learn that failure and revision are essential steps, not setbacks. 

What makes this educational is how I adapt projects based on student needs, treating them as co-designers of their learning journey. 

I observe their engagement and adjust - shifting briefs, introducing new constraints, or connecting to their broader interests. For me, teaching, designing, and art-making are interconnected practices. 

Every lesson is a design challenge: how do I create an experience that meets these learners where they are? 

Students don't just learn about iteration - they live it. 

They don't study empathy - they practice it. 

The classroom becomes a studio where learning emerges through authentic creative practice. 

What material or technique have you always wanted to experiment with but haven’t yet? 

I love experimenting, and SCENE-studio has given me the chance to explore everything from brand design to silk-screened pillows, printed apparel, handmade handbags and laser-cut jewelry. 

Yet I always find myself returning to paper and canvas - there's something fundamental about those materials for me. 

Lately, I've been seeking out different papers and inks. Sometimes I just want to get away from my computer, where most of my creation happens, and work with my hands directly on physical materials. 

I think what I'm really craving is more time with traditional media.  

Meet Céline at the Threads of Belonging ART+ Fall 2025 Exhibition on 3rd and 4th October at the Arts Court Atelier, 2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa.