During his university years, Kameel Hawa's first foray into writing was a booklet on the nationwide student uprising of 1968. Despite having little or no formal education in the arts, he pursued design and painting through personal initiative.

Like a chameleon adapting to its surroundings, Aref El Rayess skillfully channeled his art to match his experiences. Each encounter, whether immediate or emotional, found expression through the precise style, medium, and content that best conveyed its essence.