Author's voice: Todd Mrozinski

An author’s voice is a representation of how they think and operate. It can be formal, informal, pensive, creative, witty, sarcastic, meticulous, poignant, reflective...

It’s clear that artist and writer Todd Mrozinski has a strong attention towards detail and environment, and that he cherishes and embraces the feeling of intimacy and connection between himself, his experiences, and art. His article about his visit to the Portrait Society Gallery for UrbanMilwaukee tells about his experience viewing the work of 3 different artists in a poignant and evocative way. The article is written like a story, starting with Mrozinski entering the gallery, interacting with and reacting to the different pieces of artwork, and ends with a reflection as he exits the exhibition. I think what made the article moving was that Mrozinski had consideration for the artists’ personal experiences. I think the most powerful part of this article was when Mrozinski wrote, “I have never seen it without artwork on the walls and I feel a sense of isolation. As I take a seat in the corner, I think of M. Winston in his cell.” 

“The Power of Great Paintings” for UrbanMilwaukee is less story-like than the aforementioned article. Mrozinski’s attention to detail shines in this article as he describes a handful of paintings he viewed at a European masters exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum. He takes time to paint an image in the reader’s mind with his descriptions of the artwork. Well-researched and knowledgeable about painting techniques, he explains in detail the compositions that he viewed: “The oil paint was teased upon the surface of the canvas and then slightly flattened, creating the illusion of candlelight hitting the fruit’s surface,” “The clay-like paint is pushed, smeared and built like the mountain, Mount Sainte-Victoire, that he would paint over 60 times in his life.”

View Todd Mrozinski's website here.