John Mehalik

A native of Western Pennsylvania, Mr. Mehalik moved to Northern Virginia upon graduating from college. He spent thirty-three years working in the school systems of Prince William and Fairfax counties. He taught various elementary and middle school grades and subjects, including photography and photojournalism. He was also employed as a supervisor of student teachers for George Mason University after retiring from the Fairfax County School System in 2003.

It was during these early years of teaching that he developed an interest in photography when a supervisor gave him a 35 mm camera and asked him to learn how to use it and document school events. This was the beginning of his becoming a total captive of the photographic medium. Eventually, he began incorporating photography into his classroom. One such example was a “visual literacy” program for fourth graders using toy 35 mm cameras to help increase reading proficiency. His interest in photography continued to grow and led to the pursuit of a Masters degree in Educational Media from The University of Virginia.

Mr. Mehalik has taken formal classes in photography as well as being an avid self- taught photographer. He has also taught photography classes for Northern Virginia Community College. During the nineteen nineties he had his own wedding and portrait photography business.

In 2010, he and his wife, Julie, moved to Leland, North Carolina from Northern Virginia. The Cape Fear region has been an inspiration in reigniting his love of photography.