The Pfister® Hotel Names Todd Mrozinski as Next Artist in Residence

Milwaukee, Wis., Feb. 23, 2015 – Home to a collection of more Victorian art than any other hotel in the world, the historic Pfister Hotel, which is owned and managed by Marcus^® Hotels & Resorts, has hosted a successful Artist-in-Residence program for the past six years. The Pfister Hotel’s selection committee has chosen Todd Mrozinski as its seventh resident artist. He will begin working in the hotel’s lobby-level Artist’s Studio beginning April 2015, succeeding current Pfister artist Niki Johnson, and will work in the studio for one year.

“I’m excited and honored to be the next Pfister Artist in Residence,” said Mrozinski. “I look forward to collaborating with guests and staff to create a unique body of work. The support everyone has given me is greatly appreciated and my studio door will always be open.”

As the new Pfister Artist in Residence, Mrozinski, who received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, says he will draw inspiration from what is happening around him. He intends to focus on the hotel’s guests and the beauty of the shadows from the light that illuminates them in his planned “Light from the Pfister” series, in which hotel guests will be chosen to pose for eight large oil paintings that will begin with shadows traced from light coming through the windows.

To further interact with the hotel’s visitors and staff, Mrozinski will equip the studio with a silhouette tracing area for smaller shadow portraits and a portable painting station, and will offer quarterly painting workshops. Mrozinski will also develop a video tour of The Pfister Hotel’s internationally recognized art collection and select featured artwork to be analyzed monthly by art experts.

“I was extremely impressed with the talent of this year’s applicants,” said Tim Smith, general manager of The Pfister Hotel. “The creativity exemplified in our finalists is a testament to the growing opportunity for us to continue using this program as a way to connect with our guests. I look forward to seeing how Todd will use his artistic abilities to enrich our guest experience.”

Mrozinski was one of six finalists included in a four-week public voting period. In addition to the public vote via Facebook, texting, and in-person ballots, a selection committee, consisting of leaders in the local art community, made the final decision in choosing the next Artist in Residence. This year’s selection committee was comprised of representatives from the Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, Northwestern Mutual, and Plaid Tuba.

The winner of the public vote, Jasmine McMasters, will receive the opportunity to display her work in a solo exhibit at Gallerie M, inside InterContinental Milwaukee, also owned and managed by Marcus Hotels & Resorts. All finalists from this year and years past will be offered additional opportunities to show their work at future Pfister-sponsored exhibits throughout the region.

For more information on the latest news and updates from Marcus Hotels & Resorts, please visit: http://media.marcushotels.com.

About The Pfister’s Artist-in-Residence Program

Entering its seventh year, The Pfister’s Artist-in-Residence program features a working art studio and gallery that is open to hotel guests and visitors. The program encourages the public to interact with the artist and witness the evolution of each piece first-hand.

Over the years, The Pfister has received national attention for its Artist-in-Residence program. Since 2009, the hotel has been a member of the Alliance of Artist Communities, www.artistcommunities.org, an international association of artists’ communities and residencies featuring a diverse field of more than 1,000 programs worldwide.

The program’s current artist is Niki Johnson (2014-2015), www.nikijohnson.com. Past artists include Stephanie Barenz (2013-2014), stephaniebarenz.com; Timothy Westbrook (2012-2013), www.unicorns.carbonmade.com; Shelby Keefe (2011-2012), www.studioshelby.com; Katie Musolff (2010-2011), www.katiemusolff.com; and Reginald Baylor (2009-2010), www.reginaldbaylor.com.

About The Pfister Hotel

Built in 1893, The Pfister Hotel has been the premier downtown Milwaukee hotel for more than a century, and continues to celebrate a tradition of gracious service and impeccable style; 2013 will mark the hotel’s 120^th year as an icon in Milwaukee. The Pfister Hotel was purchased in 1962 by Ben Marcus, who vowed to renovate the distinguished hotel to its original beauty. Significant renovations were completed and a new 23-story guest room tower was built. In fall 2012, The Marcus Corporation celebrated its 50^th year of ownership of the property.

Home to the largest collection of Victorian art of any hotel in the world, The Pfister is a AAA Four-Diamond property with membership in two of the industry’s leading organizations: Historic Hotels of America and Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. The Pfister Hotel is located at 424 E. Wisconsin Ave. in downtown Milwaukee. More information and updates on the hotel can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thePfisterHotel and on Twitter (@PfisterHotel).

About Marcus Hotels & Resorts

Marcus Hotels & Resorts, a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), owns and/or manages 20 hotels, resorts and other properties in 11 states. A force in the hospitality industry, Marcus Hotels & Resorts provides expertise in management, development and historic renovations. The company’s portfolio includes a wide variety of properties including city-center meeting hotels, upscale resorts and branded first-class hotels. For more information on the latest news and updates, please visit: http://media.marcushotels.com and follow the company on Facebook and Twitter.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.