Nyle Paul | Staff Writer
Through all of the difficulties, both mentally and physically, that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought, many people have turned to the arts to alleviate their hardships. Here at Hampton University, there is a community of artists who continue to grace their audiences with their creations despite the pandemic.
Xavier Lamberth is a third-year Architecture major from Sedalia, North Carolina. Lamberth is a multimedia graffiti artist, as well as the owner of a hand embroidery clothing brand. When asked how he describes his craft, he called it an “undefined version of me.”
To gain insight into what pushes him to create such elaborate and exciting pieces, he was asked who and what influence his art.
“My influences are my life,” Lamberth said. “I let my art come from my feelings. However, when I was younger, my influence came from DOKE, a graffiti artist.”
During these trying times, it is easy to lose grip on the motivation needed to continue pursuing personal goals, and artists may experience difficulty tapping back into their creative side. Lamberth touched on the source of his creative block and what he does to get past it.
“Most of my creative block comes from wanting to draw,” Lamberth said. “I like to draw when I want to draw, and that allows my creativity to flow without burning myself out. These breaks allow me to overcome those creative blocks.”
Although the pandemic has created a roadblock between many artists and the perseverance needed to stay dedicated to their craft, some artists, such as Lamberth, claim that their art has benefited from the social break that the pandemic brought.
“The pandemic has allowed me to stretch my feelings beyond myself and for my people,” Lamberth said.
For many colleges and universities, the arts aren’t heavily supported, making artists feel overlooked. The North Carolina native shared his thoughts on if he believes that the arts are getting the attention it deserves and if Hampton offers enough opportunities for exposure.
“No, I do not,” Lamberth said. “I feel as if there should be more places for artists of all media forms to be accepted. With my art form being graffiti, many people don’t really hold anything to spread it, but a lot of people love it.”
Along with his inspirations, the lasting impact he hopes his art will leave pushes Lamberth to continue his craft.
“I hope my art is able to allow people to understand that you’re not alone,” Lamberth said. “People have the same story or same feelings, and it’s OK to connect with my art. Because my art allows me to express my feelings so people can relate.”
Without a doubt, Lamberth has put forth a lot of hard work and dedication into his craft.
“To be honest, I’m going to be pushing out more canvases and allowing people to have custom items done,” Lamberth said. “The clothing will also be custom made to order only.”
You can support Xavier by following his art page @mase_theartist and his clothing brand page @peaceof_me.
The Hampton Script 