The Artsy Jumbo | Freshman Justin Roberts defies conventions as artist, athlete

It’s not uncommon at Tufts to find students who are passionate about two completely unrelated things, people who the Office of Undergraduate Admissions calls “unexpected enthusiasts.” Freshman Justin Roberts is one of these unexpected enthusiasts. While playing offensive line for the football team, Justin also pursues his love of painting and art.

Living in Boston, Justin said he was influenced and inspired by the beautiful city and culture that surrounds him.

“It feels like home, and I just love how I can see nature and art come together,” he said.

When Justin was a child, he began doing graffiti, because he thought it was fun. Since then, he has created many different kinds of artwork, from acrylic and watercolor pieces to an abstract piece created with an amalgamation of chalk, pastels and Sharpie markers. His favorite art is abstract, and many of his pieces exemplify this. At Tufts, his work is currently being displayed in an exhibit at the Africana House, and he is also thinking about displaying his art at the Emerging Black Leaders Symposium in early March.

Justin’s paintings also dwell in the brick common room of his suite, his dorm room and the hallways of Haskell. Thinking of majoring in architectural studies, Justin is definitely one of the “unexpected enthusiasts” of Tufts, balancing long hours as a football player with creating and marketing abstract art.

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