We are proud to introduce Julian MacMillan as Tombolo’s 2025-2026 Artist in Residence. Working across painting and sculpture, MacMillan has developed a distinct visual language—one that is at once graphic and atmospheric, playful yet quietly ominous. His work draws the viewer into scenes that hover between worlds, where water becomes both mirror and threshold, and familiar forms take on a more symbolic weight.
Birdbath, the culmination of his residency, brings these ideas into focus through sixteen new paintings and sculptures. Loons, divers, and drifting forms move across boundaries—above and below the waterline, between the physical and the metaphysical—in compositions that feel both ancient and immediate. The exhibition is on view at 312 Bowery in New York City from April 2nd to May 3rd, 2026, select works also on display at Tombolo’s flagship store at 208 Mott Street.
In parallel with this body of work, we collaborated with Julian on a limited-edition shirt. The design centers on a meticulously hand-embroidered diving loon, abstracted into a hypnotic black-and-white composition of concentric lines and polka dots. Each features a custom interior label, individually numbered and initialed by Julian MacMillan—making every shirt a true extension of the artist’s hand.
Julian’s practice is rooted in a longstanding fascination with the idea of passage. In this body of work, he draws on an ancient example of this theme: The Tomb of the Diver (circa 470 B.C.E.), a Greek funerary painting depicting a figure suspended mid-air between land and water—between life and death. That moment of suspension becomes a central motif in his work, echoed in figures poised at the edge of transformation. Water, in his hands, is never static; it becomes a shifting surface that reflects, distorts, and conceals.
A recurring presence in this body of work is the loon—a bird that moves effortlessly between air and water, appearing and disappearing with uncanny ease. For Julian, the loon operates as both subject and symbol: a guide between realms, and a personal touchstone shaped by time spent observing them in the wild. There is a tension in his work between lightness and density—quick, expressive marks made in charcoal and oilstick layered over richly saturated grounds, often on raw, textured canvas that remains visible beneath the scenes.
From the moment we encountered Julian’s work, we were drawn to this interplay of depth and immediacy. His ability to distill complex, almost mythic ideas into bold, graphic compositions felt like a natural extension of Tombolo’s world—where storytelling, symbolism, and a sense of escape are woven into every piece we create. Collaborating with him offered an opportunity to translate his vibrant, tactile vision into something wearable.
Working closely with Julian, we adapted forms from his paintings—loons, rippling water, and fragmented reflections—into a composition that could translate seamlessly onto fabric. The challenge was to preserve the immediacy of his mark-making while creating a design that felt balanced on a cabana shirt. We paid close attention to texture and tone, carrying over the depth and tactility of his original materials wherever possible.
The result is a shirt that feels both graphic and immersive—an extension of Julian’s world to be worn, traveled in, and experienced beyond the canvas.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Julian MacMillan (b. 1992) lives and works in New York. Working across painting, printmaking and sculpture he creates work that resembles abstract portraits, anthropomorphic landscapes, and geometric studies. Through his multidisciplinary practice, which also spans carpentry and metalworking, MacMillan is able to combine and compress these genres, and make images that are both sensitive and other-worldly. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., MacMillan studied art at Dartmouth College prior to receiving his MFA in painting at Boston University. Recent exhibitions include Left Tower at Atlantic Mills (Providence, RI), Do It Again at East Manning Projects (Providence, RI), The View From Mars at Gallery 263 (Cambridge, MA) and Tell The Devil I'm Coming As Fast As I Can at Outlet Manhattan, New York, NY.
ABOUT TOMBOLO'S ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM
Tombolo's Artist Residency Program offers the chance for emerging artists to have their artwork feature on our shirts. Tombolo offers a stipend, mentorship, and a (zero commission) NYC exhibition at our flagship store -- along with the opportunity to collaborate on two custom shirts: one inspired by an existing work and a second inspired by a piece created during the Residency itself. The artist also receives a royalty tied to shirt sales.
Explore Our Past Artist Collaborations:
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