“Our job is to get students more involved in the arts, whether they’re interested in pursuing a professional career as artists or not,” he says. “By curating and installing student shows and bringing students into the studio, we develop a creative relationship with the artists in our Houses and we become colleagues.”

He says his duties are all the more important because of limited studio space and finite resources provided by the VES department, which has a wait-list for many of its courses and cannot provide opportunities to all prospective artists.

“It doesn’t seem right that four guys with bad voices can form an a capella group and get a show, but an artist at some Houses doesn’t have five feet to paint in,” he says. “In Adams, we’re lucky because we have studio and gallery space.”

Other tutors say they too have been affected by the dearth of existing studio space.

Winthrop Tutor Zoe P. McKiness spearheaded efforts to open a new studio space for student in her House. According to McKiness, the Winthrop studio— located in the basement of D-entry—is heavily utilized.

Dunster Arts Tutor Chris Abrams is similarly attempting to set up a studio space in Dunster House, Mergel says.

Appreciative Artists

While finding studio space, curating student shows and advising the arts community isn’t always easy, students say they are grateful for such efforts by House arts tutors.

Rachel A. Vessey ’04, a history and literature concentrator who heads the Harvard Photography Club, worked extensively with Mergel to organize photography classes and curate an exhibition of student work in the ArtSpace.

“I can’t imagine a more active arts tutor than [Mergel],” Vessey says.

Vessey says she thinks that the arts tutor system particularly helps non-VES concentrators explore their interests in visual arts.

“The arts tutors have made visual arts a much more visible presence on campus,” Vessey says. “As mentors who are readily available, they help make visual arts appeal to a broader audience.”

Tamara R. Reichberg ’04, a history and literature concentrator from Adams House, also says that her pursuit of photography has been helped by the tutors.

“The House arts system has shown me an unbelievable amount of support, enthusiasm, and sincerity.” she says. “As a student not concentrating in VES, it has helped encourage and fuel my love of photography.”

Julie S. Wecsler ’02-’03, a VES/East Asian Studies concentrator, says she particularly appreciates the weekly arts table meetings that Adams House hosts.