Jeremy Divers is an artist, world traveler, and teacher.
Jeremy Divers is a freelance artist and full-time art teacher. He is currently a 20 year veteran teacher through North Callaway Public Schools in Auxvasse Missouri. Jeremy earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Columbia College in 2001 and a Master in Education from the University of Missouri in 2009. He has exhibited his work through the Presser Performing Arts Center, Columbia Art League, and Hannibal Art Council and has had his work published in the Missouri Conservationist and Missouri Ruralist.
Jeremy was born on January 16th, 1979 in Mexico Missouri. He was raised on a small farm by his loving grandparents Barbara and James Woolfolk. He credits many of his works to his rural background, religious beliefs, and strong work ethic.
He began his educational career at Hawthorne Elementary in 1984. There he met Carol Bramon, who became his first mentor and sparked his interest in the world of art. He was given his first commission when he designed a dinosaur mural for the school cafeteria. The mural was featured on several news segments and gained Jeremy a sense of distinction.
In 1993 Jeremy started Mexico Senior High School, there he met Jane Norman, who gave him the fundamentals and inspiration to continue his artistic journey through college. He graduate from Mexico Senior High in 1997 where he earned a scholarship to attend Columbia College.
Jeremy started Columbia College in 1997. There he met several mentors that continued to mold him into the artist and teacher he is the day. Mentors like Ed Collings that taught him a love of photography, Ben Cameron that enhanced his drawing and printmaking skills, Tom Watson that taught him 2-D and 3-D design, Richard Bauman who fed him books of knowledge when it came to art, history, and culture, Mike Sleadd his dear friend, who taught him illustration and most importantly graphic design and finally the late great Sydney Larson who was Jeremy’s painting and drawing professor. Jeremy was fortunate enough to travel with Sid to Italy in 1998. He credits Sid as the inspiration for his love of travel.
In 2001 Jeremy earned his B.F.A. from Columbia College and had his first major art exhibition. His graduate show was entitled, “An Artist Journey” and featured over 50 works from his 4 years (120 hrs) of art study. That show garnered him multiple accolades and works from that show were featured in several other galleries and art exhibitions.
In 2002 Jeremy took a break from art and returned to Columbia College to work towards a certificate in art education. In the spring of 2004, he finished his coursework, earned a near-perfect score on the art Praxis and was fully certified to teach art K-12.
After applying to nearly every school district within a 100-mile radius Jeremy was given his first teaching assignment for North Callaway Public Schools. He taught for two years at Williamsburg Elementary and Missouri Girl’s Town, 14 years at Auxvasse Elementary, before he found his permanent home at North Callaway High School.
In 2009 North Callaway paid for Jeremy to return to school to earn his Masters of Education from the University of Missouri. Jeremy refers to himself as a lifetime learner as he continues to take coursework to this day.
While teaching at Auxvasse, Jeremy has had several accomplishments, but none greater than his first full-length student film, “The Ghost Girl.” This work was filmed over the course of a year and featured students ages 10-14. Jeremy filmed, wrote, and edited the entire movie in his free time. The premiere of the film had over 200 attendees and was the most successful event the Auxvasse After School Program ever put on.
In 2010 Jeremy was asked by a friend to help chaperone a group of Missouri students to Europe. He traveled through a company called People to People International, which primary purpose was connecting young leaders to people of different cultures. Students became ambassadors of their country, their community, and their school district. Since that trip, Jeremy has led 12 trips to over two dozen countries, and 20 states. He now organizes tours for people of all ages and has worked with award-winning travel organizations, such as EF Tours, Explorica, and Diamond Tours.
Jeremy is involved with several aspects of his school including, district levels chair, teacher mentor, musical co-director, yearbook designer, before and after school teacher, graphic design/photography instructor, and much, much more. Recently Jeremy has begun a weekly video art series to give his students instruction during the COVID-19 quarantine.
Last but not least Jeremy’s personal life. Jeremy has been happily married to his beautiful wife Betsy for the past 11 years. Together they are the proud parents of three gorgeous Cavalier King Charles fur babies, Sadie, Charlie, and Jordie. Jeremy also remains close to his grandmother, mother, family, and friends. Jeremy credits many teachers in his life, but no teacher has inspired him more than his grandmother, a strong independent woman who still works while in her 80s. She encouraged him to reach his goals and inspired him to be the best teacher he could be.
Pyramids of Giza, Egypt