Artist Jon Mehlferber has “been interested in art making for as long as (he) can remember.”

His resume reiterates that statement. He earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Central Florida, a master’s and a doctorate degree in art from the University of Georgia and has been a full-time college-level teacher for 26 years. Currently, he is teaching in the Visual Arts Department at the University of North Georgia Dahlonega campus.

But he is not only a teacher of visual arts, he creates his own work. He recently participated in the Quinlan Visual Arts Center’s annual Members’ Exhibition, as he has been since 2010.

The Quinlan Members’ Exhibition is a showcase designed to honor all its members and the work each one creates.

“Every member is eligible to submit one piece, so that’s how it’s selected,” Quinlan Visual Arts Center Executive Director Amanda McClure said. “There’s no reflection process to it. It’s just as simple as that.”

Mehlferber piece “Spirit House,” won first place. He said he was delighted when he heard he won a recognition.

“The work is a bit unusual, so I hope that Angela Nichols’ (the show’s juror) recognition of it helps other viewers of the exhibition to expand their definition what ‘good’ art can look like,” Mehlferber said.

The teacher and artist explained he has been working with 3-D printing process for the past six years. And it led to his creation.

“The work in the Quinlan Members’ Exhibition was designed on a computer, and then built up, layer by layer, with transparent plastic,” he said. “I chose to display the cross-shaped house on a mirror to enhance the reflective a refractive qualities of light bouncing off and passing through the sculpture. I had a similar, but much smaller piece in the Member’s Exhibition last year.”

He said he was interested in using a dwelling or house as a sculptural motif, using wood, metal, graphite and concrete to represent the form.

And his pieces like it and others get noticed and displayed. Mehlferber has exhibited his work in more than a hundred regional, national and international exhibitions. He also has conducted numerous workshops and lectures.

“I work in many mediums, but mostly make sculpture, from large-scale outdoor pieces to small-scale intimate objects,” he said.

Mehlferber’s piece “Spirit House” is now on display at the Quinlan until Nov. 26.

For more information, visit www.quinlanartscenter.org or ung.digication.com/jon_mehlferber/Welcome.