News & Press

Excerpted from New Times May 13th, 2010

Mark Dudlik
www.markdudlik.com
In March 2009, a young designer named Mark Dudlik wrote an open letter to the Phoenix design community and posted it on his Web site. One tweet and 24 hours later, his letter had been viewed more than 4,000 times.

The third paragraph drew particular attention.

“The Phoenix design scene is dying,” Dudlik wrote.

That’s a bold statement, coming from a guy who moved to Phoenix nearly five years ago to attend design school at Arizona State University. But the 26-year-old makes no apologies.

Instead, he makes progress.

Back to that letter. Some disliked his bravado, but others joined forces with Dudlik to launch Phoenix Design Week — a series of exhibitions, workshops, and discussions for communication, graphic, and industrial designers — just six months later. The design community, including architects and graphic and industrial designers, all know of each other, says Dudlik, but the interactive piece was missing. At Design Week, these professionals have the opportunity to showcase their work, collaborate on timed visual projects, and discuss future visions of the design scene in Phoenix.

The first Design Week gained the national attention of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), which is now using the Phoenix experience as an example for opportunities in other cities. It also sparked the interest of the national Design Week committee, which chose Phoenix as the site for its 2011 national event.

In the designated design corner of his Phoenix apartment, Dudlik tries to keep his aesthetic neutral. Partly because he doesn’t have much free time. The self-described workaholic doesn’t remember his last day off. He’ll even admit that it’s been years since he updated his Web site. At work, he’s a graphic designer with Sarkissian Mason, a New York-based media agency with such Phoenix clients as Mazda and Boeing. There, Dudlik creates sleek, modern visual graphics and logos used for marketing campaigns as well as interactive media.

Whether it’s a week of activities dedicated to design or brainstorming yet another community project, Dudlik’s committed to the notion that collaboration is key. Hence, his latest brainchild: www.dojocollective.com, which he’s created with design consultant Dave Bjorn.

Though Dojo is looking for a permanent space, Dudlik and Bjorn have created a virtual place for community and support among communication design students and established Valley designers.

Dudlik’s ultimate vision for Dojo includes a graphic design museum that will serve as a community space for tutoring and design curriculum offered to young people interested in design.

“The museum will absolutely be a shelf,” Dudlik says. “It will hopefully showcase the work of local designers, but it will also serve as a gathering place, which is exactly what the Phoenix community needs more of in order to survive.”

— Claire Lawton