Griptonite Games Opens Studio Art Dojo

06/04/2010

 

June 4, 2010 – Kirkland, WA – Griptonite Games proudly opened the doors of their newest addition to their studio on Friday – the Art Dojo.  A dedicated art space, created and designed specifically for the Griptonite Art Department, has been the brain child of Griptonite artists for quite some time.

“The Art Dojo began with a simple idea. Our senior art talent wanted to have a dedicated studio space in our building to meet and discuss art technique, work on a few personal projects together, critique one another’s work and in general challenge each other to be great artists.  The executive staff at Griptonite came through for us with amazing support.  In a few short months, the Art Dojo transformed from a blank room into a finished space, and we now have this incredible program for our art staff,” says Randy Briley, Art Director. “The Art Dojo is the result of a lot of hard work by many dedicated members of our staff.  We’ve dreamt about this for years and seeing it arrive in the flesh is an inspiration to all of us involved.”          

The Art Dojo provides life drawing every week to any Griptonite employee (including non-art staff), portfolio critique groups and has a book project currently in production.  In addition to art workshops and lectures by art staff, the art department also has several renowned artists lined up to come and speak to the studio in the upcoming months.  “The community is growing beyond our doors and we often have artists from other game studios joining us to collaborate and inspire each other regularly in various activities in the Art Dojo,” comments Briley.

Griptonite had a grand opening party for the artists on June 4, 2010.  Along with food, drinks, games and speeches given by Randy Briley and other co-creators of the Art Dojo, the artists were able to contribute a doodle or sketch to a canvas to commemorate the opening of the Dojo.  The finished mural will remain in the Art Dojo as its first original piece.

David Peixoto, Concept Artist and co-creator of the Art Dojo adds “the Dojo gives us a chance to expand our personal art, learn new tricks of the trade and be a part of an artistic community on and off work hours.  It’s pretty sweet to have a studio that recognizes that artists don’t stop being artists when they walk out the door.  The studio stands behind us and gives us the resources to radically improve our personal endeavors and professional goals.”