A life-long Kansan, Mersmann studied drawing and painting at the University of Kansas. He was a large machine mechanic at ICL Corporation, and while working there was commissioned by the company to paint two pieces. One of these pieces is a wall-sized mural of the Kansas (Kaw) River located in the site’s conference room. Mersmann is retired and now paints full-time. His work was selected for the Douglas County Courthouse Exhibition in 2014. He has also shown his work at the Lawrence Arts Center, Hays Art Center, Deines Cultural Center, and other locations in northeast Kansas.