DrNadine Ouellet

Academics

Dr Nadine Ouellet

Head, School of Design Communication and Programme Leader, BA(Hons) Design Communication
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  • PhD Equivalency (Visual Communication), Laval University, Canada
  • MFA (Graphic Design), Yale University, USA
  • BFA (Visual Communication), Laval University, Canada

Dr Nadine Ouellet is an award-winning designer and educator, with expertise in visual methods, research through design, publication design and typography.

Nadine started her academic career at Université Laval, School of Design in Quebec City, Canada in 2002, while she also pursued her doctorial studies. Nadine received her academic tenure in 2007 and lead the graphic design undergraduate programme for one year before moving to Hong Kong in 2008. 

In Hong Kong, Nadine continued her academic journey at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University as a visiting professor and a full-time professor at the Hong Kong campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Apart from teaching undergraduate and graduate students, Nadine was also invited to participate in curriculum reconfiguration and school accreditation processes.

Nadine has been working internationally and her design practice revolves around clients in the cultural, governmental and educational sectors. She has worked for creative firms in Quebec City, New York, Paris, Porto and Hong Kong. She has worked on design projects for clients such as Phaidon Press, Art Directors Club of New York, the Friends of the High Line, Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne University, Desjardins Bank, As Boas Raparigas Theatre, Quebec Government and Edipresse Media Hong Kong.

Her design expertise ranges from designing prints (books, catalogues, magazines and posters) and developing visual identities to creating in situ or digital experiences. Her latest research interest – the revival of traditions and historical sites through design – has expanded her body of work with designed objects, textiles experimentations and urban installations.

In 2012, Nadine co-founded OR Atelier, an experimental graphic design atelier, with Canadian designer Maxime Rheault. Their first project OR Play, a limited edition collection of design objects exploring the value of play, the love of nature and the importance of sharing traditions, was selected by the Quebec Beaux-Arts National Museum to be featured in their design boutique. A short documentary on the duo’s creative process was presented on Radio-Canada’s broadcast television network.

Nadine’s design work has also won various professional awards and has been presented in international solo and group exhibitions in Canada, France, Poland, Japan and the USA.

Awards
  • The 2012 Annual Design and Image Awards, Coupe Magazine; Canada (2012).
  • Concours Grafika; Canada (2012).
  • Concours Grafika; Canada (2009).
  • Bienal Iberoamerican del Cartel; Bolivia (2003).
  • The 7th International Poster Triennial; Toyama, Japan (2003).
  • 14e Festival International de l’affiche et des arts graphiques de Chaumont; France (2003).
  • Art Directors Club of Portugal; Portugal (2003).
  • Concours Grafika; Canada (2002).
  • How Magazine Design Competition; USA (2001).
Research and Practice

Group Exhibitions

  • Portes Ouvertes, Atelier Lebac, Vence; France (2019). 
  • 003 Floral Edition, Collectif Blanc; Nomad Nation; Montreal, Canada (2014).
  • 001 Edition, Collectif Blanc, Atelier B; Montreal, Canada (2013).
  • Art Skate-Board; Galerie Rouje; Quebec City, Canada (2008).
  • 400 x 2, Galerie des arts visuels; Quebec City, Canada (2008).
  • Art Skate-Board, Galerie Rouje; Quebec City, Canada (2005).
  • IX Miedzynarodowe Biennale Plakatu Teatralnego 2003; Rzeszow, Poland (2003).
  • The 7th International Poster Triennal in Tomaya 2003; Toyama, Japan (2003).
  • 14e Festival International de l’affiche et des arts graphiques de Chaumont; Chaumont, France (2003).
  • Yale University School of Art Graphic Design MFA Exhibition, Gallery Holcombe T. Green, Jr, Hall, Yale University; USA (2001).

 

Solo Exhibitions

  • Souvenirs d’Enfance, urban installation, Place Royale; Quebec City, Canada (2012).
  • Autumn, OR play, Meduse; Quebec City, Canada (2011).
  • Porto, Paris, New York: Parcours de création en design graphique, Galerie des arts visuels; Quebec City, Canada (2006).

 

Curatorial 

  • NOW, Faculty of Design collective exhibition, Institute of Contemporary Art, LASALLE College of the Arts; Singapore (2019).
  • Autumn, OR play, solo exhibition, Meduse; Quebec City, Canada (2019)
  • Art Skate-Board, collective exhibition, Galerie Rouje; Quebec City, Canada (2008).
  • 400 x 2, collective exhibition, Galerie des arts visuels; Quebec City, Canada (2008).

 

Presentations

  • What’s the Story? How to Create a Visually Engaging Presentation, SCAD Hong Kong; Hong Kong (February 2016).
  • Think like a Designer (On Design Thinking), Junior Achievement (JA Worldwide), Hong Kong Design Institute; Hong Kong (September 2015).
  • Expressive Typography, Ecole Intuit.Lab, French Institute of Design and Visual Communication; Paris, France (2004.)
  • Typography & Movement, Ecole Intuit.Lab, French Institute of Design and Visual Communication; Paris, France (2003).

 

Practice-as-Research

  • Type Brut: a conceptual approach to letterform and typographic design inspired by the Art Brut movement (2019).
  • Co-founder of OR Atelier, Design Research Atelier founded with Canadian designer Maxime Rheault (August 2011–2014). 
  • Co-founder of Atelier DIR, Graphic Design Research Lab founded with Professor Sylvie Pouliot at Université Laval (January 2006–2009).

 

Pedagogic Research

  • Outside Disciplines, Pilot Residency programme: a proposal for interdisciplinary initiatives; Vence, France (2019).

 

Juries

  • HKSAR Government Education Bureau Outstanding Performance Scholarship, Savannah College of Art & Design; Hong Kong (2016).
  • SCADTalk, Savannah College of Art & Design; Hong Kong (2016).
  • Concours Grafika, Quebec Graphic Design Society and Infopresse; Montreal, Canada (2015).
  • Portfolio review, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, School of Design; Hong Kong (2012). 
  • René Richard Foundation Scholarship, Université Laval, School of Design; Quebec, Canada (2008).
  • Concours Grafika, Quebec Graphic Design Society and Infopresse; Montreal, Canada (2007).
  • Graduate portfolio evaluation, Ecole Intuit.Lab, French Institute of Design and Visual Communication; Paris, France (2007).
  • René Richard Foundation Scholarship, Université Laval, School of Design; Quebec, Canada (2005–2006).
  • Terminal Project in book and editorial design, Ecole Intuit.Lab, French Institute of Design and Visual Communication; Paris, France (2003).
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Current Research and Practice
  • Type Brut: a conceptual approach to letterform and typographic design inspired by the Art Brut movement (2019).
  • Outside Disciplines, Pilot Residency programme: a proposal for interdisciplinary initiatives; Vence, France (2019).
Research Interests
  • Design education.
  • Revival of traditions and historical sites through design.
  • Indexical portraiture and visual identities.
  • Typography, letterforms, visual language.
  • Prints: Book and publication design.
  • Design for social issues.

See also

List of Academics