The Arts Haus exudes creativity. From the bright red staircase that leads upstairs greeting you upon arrival to cupboards that open to empty space, the house is bursting with ingenuity.
The project for the night is to paint the dining room. Can upon can of paint are laid out and the theme for the dining room is coordinated with the upcoming party. The Haus' theme parties are famous on campus, and attendants are strongly encouraged to dress up accordingly. Don't expect mundane themes, either - past parties have called for "Apocalypse Now" and "Clue" costumes.
Located on 37 Sawyer Ave. - and technically called Bartol House - this three- floor, off-campus housing option is the dwelling place of devoted Tufts artists who strive to promote artistic awareness on campus. Thirteen students occupy several of the spacious double dorm-size rooms (each for one person), use the laundry machines that cost merely 25 cents per load, and enjoy RA-free living.
Joining the chosen few isn't an easy feat. The theme house holds intense interviews for potential housemates each semester. The interviews are said to be memorable. According to Co-president Craig Wenner, applicants must "dazzle the current housemates," who collectively decide who will live amid the artistic madness the next semester.
Wenner, a junior, lived in the house last spring and rose to the ranks of co-president, alongside senior Erika Martin, within one semester's time. "We all had to go through the interview," Martin said, remembering the ordeal. "The applicant should definitely have some sort of knowledge of pop culture," added Alissa Kempler, a sophomore enrolled in the five-year combined degree program for the arts, and a first- year Arts Haus resident. "Or at least the ability to shoot it down," Wenner chimed in.
But the general purpose of the interview is to get a feel for a potential housemate's personality. With a unique group of people, the house bustles with the mix of interests and talents. Students who specialize in all areas of the arts, from music lovers to film buffs to those who possess a nonspecific love for art, come together under one roof.
Taliser Avery - a senior who moved into the Arts Haus this semester - classifies herself as a general arts lover. "I'm not really into any particular style of art," she said. "I don't even really have any special talents. But I'm hoping that living here, some of that artistic magic will rub off."
Activities hosted by the Arts Haus have been an eclectic mix, ranging from concerts to karaoke, pudding wrestling to film festivals. Its biggest scheduled event is in the spring when the Haus clears room for local artists to showcase their work. "Last year, a housemate brought up the idea of junkyard art, and we had lots of fun with that," Wenner said.
Next week's benefit concert will showcase local bands to raise money for victims of the Sept. 11 attack.
As with any household, however, the dramas of the real world creep up every once in a while. But residents say their housemates avoid the true collegiate melodramas. "Of course, some people get along better, but we are a tight community," Kempler said. "It's so much better than dorm life: the perks of a kitchen and your own space are great," she said. The household must work together to organize activities, so many of the members say they're comfortable with one another. "We are almost forced to be friends, but in a good way," Kempler said.
"This is an intermediary between the dorm life and living on your own," Wenner said. "Every Sunday we rotate, taking turns cooking, and eat dinner together - so it brings us closer." Not even sharp objects can threaten that trust: Sometimes, the housemates give each other haircuts.
A final decision has not been made regarding this semester's theme party, and the paint remains in the cans and on the floor. That sense of mystery., Wenner said, is part of the excitement: "I wouldn't be surprised to wake up and find the rooms were all a different color."
