Before she could hold a pencil, Jill's mother, an artist herself, put a paintbrush in her hand and began to share her love for creating beautiful things. From childhood into teens, artist materials, sewing machines, and even hand wrought jewelry making supplies were provided as Jill dedicated herself to hours of creating works of art.

As a teen growning up in Michigan, Jill studied silversmithing with Danish born silversmith Eijner Rasmussen, and sculpture with Sophie Johnstone, and before graduating high school she received awards for her jewelry design in sterling silver, as well as sculpture in stone at several State of Michigan Fine Art Competitions.

Exposure to international cultural styles, and crafts began as she studied for a year aboard the 156' schooner "Te Vega" in the Caribbean, and traveled to Italy and Austria with her mother. Jill was then accepted to study Fashion Design and Illustration at New York's Parsons School of Design, where she was honored as a Dean's List student.

Here the Metropolitan Museum offered a wealth of inspiration in their basement costume and textile library, and Jill scoured Greenwich Village art and antiques shops looking for fresh ideas. She moved to Los Angeles in 1974 where she began to work in visual merchandising and display for Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bonwit Teller, until she landed her first product design job creating prints for kitchen, beach and bath towels. In 1984 Jill registered her first trade name: Jill Garber Design, and began her own licensed product line specializing in kitchen textiles, paper products, and ceramic giftware. Along the way she has worked on print designs for other licensed brands such as the "Star Wars" Series, Kliban the Cat. Popeye, and Gloria Vanderbilt.

With the birth of her son, Jill chose to take some time to slow down and dedicate herself to just being "mom' and spending more time traveling to Michigan to be with "Grandma". Even so, she could not stop creating, as she found herself painting Murals as a gift to decorate the exterior buildings of her sons Elementary School, and creating one of a kind proto types for new print and product designs, and this new collection.

Jill Garber's world of design has become a tapestry of her life. Shaped by memories of many kinds, piece by piece it has been woven and enriched by the people she loves, and the places her life has taken her. With the deepest of gratitude to her mother, Geraldine Garber, she is proud to introduce her new collection of prints and products for licensing 2004.

I Love You Mom

All Designs, Products and Images © 2004 Jill Garber All Rights Reserved.