30 Years of Shillington: Sarah Napier.

After nearly two decades working as a graphic designer, Sarah Napier was looking for a new creative challenge. One that would let her share her passion for design in a fresh and meaningful way. She found that at Shillington.

Now five years into her teaching journey, Sarah continues to inspire students with her warmth, curiosity, and deep appreciation for the fundamentals of design. In this interview, she reflects on the evolution of design education, what she’s learned from her students, and why, even after years in the industry, she still finds joy in the classroom every single day.

Hey Sarah! What brought you to Shillington, and what’s kept you here?

Shillington represents a turning point in my career.

What brought me to here was a journey looking for a new outlet for almost 20 years of graphic design experience. What’s kept me here is the people. The students, co-teachers and the wider Shillington community. It’s a special place.

How has Shillington changed or evolved since you joined?

The curriculum has continued to evolve and change and probably the biggest shift for me has been the increased focus on digital design. If you had told me 5 years ago that I’d be teaching digital design I would never have believed you!

“Trends come and go. Technology keeps advancing. But the principles remain and we should continue to honour them.”

What’s one memory from your time here that still makes you smile?

Too many individual 1-on-1 moments with students to mention… but the lovely words and gift given to me by the first cohort that I taught, was a really touching moment and definitely gave me the motivation to continue (the gift was a Camille Walala book.. great choice! We must have trained them well).

A recent grad evening with Sarah and her team.

What do you love most about teaching design?

One thing I love is the direct feedback into my own design work. In sharing knowledge with others I strengthen my own understanding and appreciation of graphic design.

How have you seen design education change over the years?

When I studied graphic design we used to do exercises recreating magazine layouts with nothing by markers in tints of grey (showing my age much?). So digitisation of every aspect of the craft has obviously been a massive change for me.

“Shillington represents a turning point in my career. What brought me here was a search for a new creative outlet, and what’s kept me here is the people. It’s a special place.”

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What’s one piece of advice you find yourself giving to every student?

You might have the best ideas, but if the end result is not well crafted they will get lost in the noise.

What does 30 years of Shillington mean to you personally?

In the 5 years I’ve been part of the Shillington teaching team I’ve worked alongside some seriously talented, inspiring, fun, motivating and charming humans. It’s clear that the experience Shillington students have is paramount to each and every one of us teachers, and I have no doubt that’s what keeps people signing up.

A selection of Sarah's recent work outside of Shillington:

What’s something unique about the Shillington experience that hasn’t changed, and shouldn’t?

The way we teach the fundamentals, the design principles, and continue to bring every piece of design back to these rules. Trends come and go. Technology keeps advancing. But the principles remain and we should continue to honour them.

“The curriculum has continued to evolve and change, but the biggest shift for me has been the increased focus on digital design. If you’d told me five years ago I’d be teaching it, I’d never have believed you!”

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How do you think design education will evolve over the next 30 years?

I believe the focus on great idea generation and strong concepts will be more important than ever, as we face technology that is already able to do some of the more systematic graphic design tasks and is getting more powerful all the time.

If you could describe Shillington in one word, what would it be and why?

Fun. Everything else aside, 5 years in and I still feel excited to get out of bed and come to class every single time.

Thirty years on, Shillington’s mission remains the same: to empower people everywhere to unlock their creativity and build a career they love. Our course was created in 1996, and from our first studio in 1997 to a global network of designers today, we’ve seen thousands of students transform their lives through design.

Whether it’s through our Graphic Design Course or Motion Design Course, Shillington continues to provide a hands-on, industry-focused education that helps students turn creative potential into professional success.

As we celebrate three decades of design, we’re more inspired than ever by the passion, imagination, and ambition of our community. Here’s to 30 years of creativity, and to shaping the next generation of designers around the world.