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Own the Moment: with Irish print designer duo, Jill & Gill
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To celebrate the launch of the all-new AI-powered Galaxy S25, S25 Ultra, S25 Edge and S25+, we invited independent collaborative designers Jill Deering and Gillian Henderson (AKA Jill & Gill) to talk creative content and innovative solutions.
Founded by designers Jill Deering (above left) and Gillian Henderson (above right), Jill & Gill is an independent collaborative Irish business with an international outlook. Two women who thrive on creating, their work is not for the faint-hearted–it’s made to move, empower and be your creative beacon in a sea of similarity.
Their serendipitous start happened back in 2016.
Jill reached out to Gillian while she was planning work for her second solo illustration show. At the time, Gillian was running her own screen printing studio. The pair spent a day printing together, discovered a shared creative synergy, and decided to pursue a personal collaboration. “What followed wasn’t forced—it grew naturally and evolved into Jill & Gill,” they say. “A full-blown creative partnership, fuelled by illustration, print, and a shared drive to do things differently.”
Sourcing inspiration
When it comes to sourcing inspiration, it’s ever-evolving — just like them. “It used to come from the outside world, particularly those with a fearless sense of originality and ability to push boundaries,” they recall, “but these days, it’s a lot more introspective. Our work has shifted inward, digging into themes like self-perception, confidence, and the pressures shaped by societal ideals.”
For Jill & Gill, inspiration comes from asking big questions: How do they see themselves? What expectations are they absorbing without even realising it? A recent collection, created for the Art Riddler’s exhibition at One Charlemont Square, explored just that—how the world around us can lift us up and weigh us down regarding confidence and identity.
The brand’s social media presence is at once uplifting and engaging, eye-catching and conversational, all while promoting themselves and their designs. We were interested to hear how they seem to strike that balance so easily.
“We don’t overthink it—just respond to what feels right,” they tell us. “We’ve always embraced digital platforms, particularly Instagram, and it’s been a vital tool for us in promoting our work. We’ve always approached social as a tool to showcase the behind-the-scenes, share engaging visuals, and foster direct communication with our audience. We have always wanted our followers to feel part of the journey, not just see the final result, but understand what went into it.”
Creative spirit
Everything that these women do is fuelled by their passion for creativity and collaboration, two energising elements of their lives that they love the most. “For Jill & Gill, creativity is about collaboration, pushing boundaries, and embracing challenges—it’s a way of seeing the world, it’s having a unique voice.”
“Our creative process is dynamic, often involving us stepping into unfamiliar environments. Our creativity is how we make sense of things that don’t always make sense. It’s also how we disrupt—because let’s be honest, the world doesn’t need more of the same.”
When it comes to screenprinting, their design process begins with choosing a high-quality image, which Jill will draw in pencil before handing it over to Gillian, who will digitise the image and print it onto acetate. It’s then exposed onto a screen, creating a permanent stencil.
“We are not traditional print makers,” they explain. “We like to step outside conventional techniques and utilise screen printing as a way to get our artwork onto different surfaces–paper, fabric, even people. Yes, we screen printed directly onto people’s arms at Electric Picnic! We’re excited now to push our work beyond representing recognisable figures.”
What’s next for Jill & Gill?
“Recently, we’ve been experimenting with more complex techniques. We’re weaving prints together, tearing them up, and manipulating the visual space. We’re less interested in creating a straightforward representation and more focused on creating layered, interesting narratives.”
Lovers of big installations and three-dimensional work, the design duo aims to take their work beyond the page. “We’ve started playing with laser cutting, creating jigsaw-like pieces that don’t just sit in a frame. We aim to create art that’s immersive, interactive, and challenges how people traditionally engage with artwork.”
Tools and technology
We chat to the pair about the ways in which smart technology feeds into their everyday lives, and helps them work more effectively and focus creatively.
“We’re always late for meetings because we have to stop about a million times to take photos and video clips of something we’ve seen. A big part of the creative process for us is observation,” they say. “That’s why we were so impressed with the Samsung Galaxy S25. The enhanced camera and video capabilities of the phone are really next-level. With its 50MP ultra-wide lens, the Galaxy S25 Ultra captures incredibly detailed and vibrant photos; we couldn’t believe how sharp the images were, and the depth of colour was so impressive.”
“Being able to zoom in on details, patterns, and even textures from a distance without distortion is incredibly useful. A lot of our work starts with a digital photo, which Jill will then sketch out by hand, so to be able to take images of this quality with a phone is incredibly handy in our work.”
“Having professional editing tools on the phone itself, such as the AI-powered Generative Edit and AI Eraser, saves so much time, especially when you’re out and about. Using the S25 meant we could remove objects, reposition elements and adjust colours on images just moments after taking them.”
“We also got a kick out of the fact that the phone prompted us to correct our angle when we were in selfie mode. Always helpful!” they laugh. “This phone is fast, intuitive, and ideal for the pace of a creative studio like ours that’s always on the move.”
Photography by Dan Dunne
Own the moment – with the all-new AI-powered Galaxy S25 series (Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, Galaxy S25 Edge, and Galaxy S25 Ultra). The Samsung S25 family elevates the way you work, create, stay healthy and play. A sleek, premium design wrapped in a strong aluminium frame with an immersive screen, sophisticated camera and now slimmed down for a more comfortable grip, this is a phone that makes an impact.
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