RE:CLAIM

Finding resonance in reflection, ritual, and realness

Creative & Grounded

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year." – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I think I’ve always been practical,” Steph says, his voice steady but layered, much like his art. From the beginning, he wanted pencils, paper, and space to observe. “I’ve always been quiet—just sat back and tried to capture the world in my own way. Not just copy it—but help people understand how I see it.”

Creativity isn’t his escape—it’s his anchor. His earliest work wasn’t about seeking attention; it was about seeking meaning.

"HURRY UP AND CALL MY NAME PLEASE"

Wearing the Mask, Breaking the Mold

"It is better to be hated for what you are, than to be loved for what you are not."

“When I’m overwhelmed, the mask helps me remember where I am—who I am,” he reflects. And while he’s pretty authentic to self, it depends on who’s looking. “I think I’m a mix: Michael B. Jordan, Saucy Santana, Drake, and Keith Haring/Andy Warhol—sometimes with a British or Australian accent.”

The result? A living, breathing character study in real time. The mask isn’t false—it’s fluid. And it comes out when needed, shaped by the room, the moment, and the emotion.

Queering the Archetype

"Live not to find yourself, but create yourself."

Steph reclaims and reconfigures style every day. “I reclaim 'Black fashion' archetypes—backwards hats, gold chains, Air Ones, Black hoodies—stuff I grew up with.” But his style isn’t imitation. It’s remix.

“I used to hate seeing someone wear the same thing as me. Now I just know I wear it differently.”

A standout sweater from Anthropologie Japan? That’s a story in itself. “It was bold and unexpected—an instant birthday buy. I knew it was the right fit.”

TO PHILLY, WITH LOVE

The Palette

"Painted fingers touching canvases before I knew what color was."

His book Let’s Go Anywhere But Here includes a poem that captures it all: The Palette. “I’ve been scripting since birth.” The textures of graphite, the sacredness of canvas, the commitment to creation—they’re all stitched into his narrative.

Steph was raised with expectation and support. His Mommom Dorothy passed when he was 11, but her imprint remains. “She taught me that even in a cruel world, luck and love exist.”

From his mom, he learned follow-through. From his dad, the value of living through disappointment. From Ross, the need to pivot. “I'm always reflecting—constantly—but it helps me stay rooted in who I am.”

"Encourage yourself. Believe in yourself. And love yourself. Never doubt who you are." – Stephanie Lahart

MY FIRST HAIRCUT

The Duality of Queerness

"Saying how you feel will never ruin a real connection."

“It’s unfortunate that who I love is political,” Steph admits. “There’s so much pressure—to date, to achieve, to settle—and then you add in politics.”

Being an artist means being seen. But it also means being judged. “Art isn’t just for people who love it. It’s also open to hate.”

He recalls finding Dean Atta’s The Black Flamingo by chance in a library. “It cracked something open in me—just when I felt most isolated.”

"You belong here."

Themes That Follow Me

"All I ever wanted was for you to know that I care."

Love follows Steph. In LGABH, it’s everywhere—love that was wanted, love that didn’t arrive, love that never fully formed. “I realize how much I’ve always wanted certain relationships… and they just didn’t live up.”

Also: overthinking. But when you’re this observant? It’s a tool. It’s fuel.

@thevilledotcom

Rituals & Rooms

"If you are not obsessed with the life you are living: Change it."

Steph’s creative rituals are sacred. Late nights or early mornings. Snacks nearby. Phone forgotten. “If I don’t eat, I’ll forget for hours,” he laughs. “But I also only tell a few people what I’m working on while it’s in progress.”

His space reflects the same layered thinking: “Dark Academia meets Vintage Modern.” A top hat he hasn’t figured out how to wear. Black-and-white paintings waiting for their moment. Color that gets added when the time is right.

"Let's start by taking a smallish nap or two..." – Winnie the Pooh

Living the Floating World

"UKIYO (n.) – living in the moment, detached from the bothers of life."

“I’ve lived on a two-year loop,” Steph shares. “Every two years something big shifts—so I end up waiting for it. But in that waiting, I’ve missed the present.”

Now, he’s honoring the now. “If I stay grounded in the moment, the future will meet me where I am.”

"No good thing is suddenly created."

The Narrative Rewrite

"Never let a confused man waste your time or energy."

Steph is done with being misinterpreted. “I’m a therapist. But if you’re not paying me, I’m not going to therapize you. And if you’re dating me because you want a therapist? That’s not love.”

He carries a lot—his brain, his art, his community. But he’s also learned to pull back. “I’m not here to be liked. I want to be known.”

"Date to be known, not to be liked." – Dr. Chris Donaghue

Final Frequencies

"I want a life that feels like... effortless, practical, prideful, and selfishly communal."

This is THE ROUGH DRAPHT. It’s style. It’s reflection. It’s softness and boldness braided together. It’s not just about how Steph sees the world. It’s about how he shows it to the rest of us.

"Do you wanna be a legend?" – Legendary (HBO Max)