Meet our 2025 Artist in Residence!
Julian MacMillan
Brooklyn–based artist Julian MacMillan was selected from hundreds of applicants for Tombolo's fourth Artist Residency. We were instantly drawn to Julian’s bold and mesmerizing loons and swans—works that swim through mythology, dive into the subconscious, and surface in themes of rebirth. Soon, they’ll be gliding their way onto Tombolo garments. And once the Residency wraps, we’ll be hosting an exhibition of his work… stay tuned.
Mary Ball
New Orleans artist Mary Ball was chosen from over 600 applicants for Tombolo's third Artist Residency. Her residency culminated in her solo exhibition, Seasons of Change, featuring whimsical new works inspired by a period of personal transformation.
In Ball's words: "My process is entirely subconscious and unplanned. I turn abstract, expressive marks into something tangible. Similar to a folktale or mythology, these imaginary scenes help me process emotions and make sense of my current reality."
Seasons of Change ran at our NYC flagship store from February 20th-27, 2025. The exhibition coincided with the launch of three limited-edition shirts, each featuring Ball's original artwork.
Jiannan Wu
Meet Jiannan Wu, winner of Tombolo's 2023 Artist Residency Program. Chosen from nearly 350 applicants, Jiannan collaborated with Tombolo on two shirts inspired by his sculptural works. Tombolo hosted his solo exhibition at the Tombolo NYC Flagship Store in February of 2024.
Alexis Zambrano
Meet Alexis Zambrano, winner of Tombolo's inaugural Artist Residency Program (2022). Chosen from nearly 200 applicants, Zambrano collaborated with Tombolo on two shirts; his Residency culminated in a November 2022 exhibition at our NYC Flagship Store.
