Transforming the Culture through Beauty
Angelico Fellows
Celebrating Artists. Inspiring a Renaissance.
The Angelico Catholic Arts Guild proudly launches the Angelico Fellows—a new distinction honoring Catholic artists whose creative excellence and faithful witness embody our mission.
These Fellows represent the vanguard of a cultural renewal—artists who are not only masters of their craft, but also missionaries of beauty, drawing others to Christ.
Through their work, the renaissance begins!
Theater Arts
Jay is a teacher and director of theater, originally from Massachusetts, but now lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jay was a theatre major at Bridgewater State College (now University), where he concentrated on technical theatre and directing, as well as education. Jay has worked in high school theatre for 30 years, while also directing other community/amateur theatre shows, including The Angelico Project’s premier full length stage production Irena’s Vow. He is passionate about his faith and evangelizing and uses theatre and story telling to work with and celebrate God and his beautiful children.
Grace is an almost-native Cincinnatian who calls Over-the-Rhine home. She seeks to share stories that reveal life’s messiness and the hope of redemption. Grace minored in theatre at Northern Kentucky University, studied film acting at The 4th Wall Acting Studio in Nashville, and has performed with various groups around Cincinnati. Her Angelico Project work includes A Needed Christmas Carol, The Jeweler’s Shop, Saved by Beauty, and Irena’s Vow. For Grace, acting is an image of the Incarnation—where the Word becomes Flesh through the actor’s voice and body. She hopes every actor comes to know the Person for whom they, and every character, yearn.
Marley is a cradle Catholic, Cincinnati native, and active member of the Angelico Actor’s Guild. While living her vocation as a young wife and mother, she pursued her passion for worship through beauty by singing in parish choirs. As her season of life matured, she expanded into acting and voice-over work—voicing the Christmas Angel in An Unexpected Christmas Carol, playing Anna in The Jeweler’s Shop, and narrating for The Angelico Project. She has also appeared as Nancy in Oliver! and as a soloist in A Very Merit Christmas. Marley hopes to use the charisms God has given her to inspire hearts and build His Kingdom through transcendental beauty.
Sofie lives in Northern Kentucky with her husband and two daughters, whom she’s always entertaining with stories and song. Grateful for teachers who shaped her love of art, music, writing, and theatre, she continues to create in many forms. While she primarily taught English over the past five years, her true passion has been directing theatre for middle and high school students. She sees theatre as a window into the heart of man—and a powerful way to teach our identity as children of God. Sofie hopes each person she directs comes to know more about themselves and the One who created them.
Literary Arts
Kate lives in Taylor Mill, Kentucky, with her husband and five children. Her vocation as a writer is rooted in witnessing the creative, sustaining power of our Good God. Kate writes and speaks on the intersection of theology, family, education, and culture. She co-founded Fiat Classical Academy and co-led the 2025 Angelico Arts Guild Writers’ Workshop. Her work includes articles for Columbia Magazine and HumanumReview.com, copy for Formed.org’s Springs of Love videos, and a chapter in War and Chaos: Volume 1. With Angelico, she seeks to lift up “whatever is noble… whatever is lovely” (Phil 4:8) and help other writers find their voice.
Fr. Albert J. DeGiacomo, a native of Boston, is a retired priest of the Diocese of Lexington, now residing in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. His playwriting explores the mystery of God’s grace in characters facing life-altering crises. He holds degrees from Boston College and a Ph.D. in drama from Tufts University. A former professor of English and theatre, he studied playwriting under Arthur Giron of Carnegie Mellon. He is the author of T.C. Murray, Dramatist and Awakening to Light, a collection of plays on Hopkins, O’Connor, and Day. Through dramatizing Catholic lives, he seeks to reveal how grace moves in and through every human story.
Ann is an award-winning editor and writer and a lifelong Cincinnatian who lives in Mt. Airy. With over 40 years in Catholic media, she has a deep appreciation for the power of goodness and beauty to reveal the dignity of every person and the world God created. A Communications graduate from the University of Cincinnati with a Journalism minor, she has produced two Catholic magazines that earned nearly 30 Catholic Press Association awards, along with a Gabriel Award for a video on Humanae Vitae. Ann is passionate about using her God-given talents to move hearts through writing and editing, and she hopes her work with The Angelico Project inspires other writers to lead readers toward Truth.
Cliff Price, a San Francisco Bay Area native, moved to Cincinnati in 2020 with most of his children and grandchildren. He now lives in a three-acre garden shaped by the principles of Laudato Si and permaculture. A Catholic Great Books graduate and former communications consultant, Cliff has long studied and promoted Catholic Culture. He has organized symposia, lectures, and events that bring Catholics into dialogue with authors and thinkers past and present. He sees literature as a path to true freedom and believes The Angelico Project is a powerful vehicle for awakening hearts to the vast riches of Catholic literary tradition in service of the New Evangelization.
David was born into a big Catholic family on Cincinnati’s west side and studied at Our Lady of Lourdes, Elder High School, and Mount St. Joseph University. As an English major, he explored both technical and creative writing before earning a master’s in theology from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary. He worked for the Messenger in Covington and later served as Co-director of Catechesis and Evangelization. In April 2024, he became Editorial Director of the Catholic Telegraph. His screenplay The White Rose won “Best Script” at the 2023 New Hope Film Festival. David lives in Anderson with his wife, Lindsay, and their six children.
Katie lives in Brown County, OH with her husband and four children. She believes myths, fairy tales, and great literature reveal the human heart’s deepest longings and hold wisdom best seen through story. Katie has served as a content writer for The Angelico Project, contributed to its early theater efforts, and written for Embodied Magazine. She has also published short stories, fairy tales, and retellings. In an age clouded by false promises, Katie writes to reclaim wonder and guide hearts toward the Heart of Christ. Like C.S. Lewis, she hopes to translate ancient wisdom for today—so all may see in Prince Charming the Prince of Peace.
Visual Arts
Nancy-Carolyn has been making art since childhood and delights in the Incarnational beauty of a world where matter becomes a medium for revealing the unseen. She holds a BFA in Sculpture and Printmaking from the Art Academy of Cincinnati and has taught Studio Art and Art History. She creates art and nurtures artists through the Angelico Catholic Arts Guild. Her greatest work is her family. As a sculptor, she seeks to express the intangible in stone, bronze, or clay. Inspired by Noguchi’s view that “sculpture is a fine balance of spirit in matter,” Nancy-Carolyn explores the inner and invisible realities that shape our lives.
Barbara is a sixth-generation Cincinnatian who resides in Hyde Park. She earned her BA from Edgecliff College (Xavier University) in 1969 and studied painting and sculpture at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, completing credits equivalent to an MFA. Her work, often described as “Reconciliation Art,” seeks to inspire deeper love for Christ and healing through beauty. Her pro-life sculpture at Xavier offers hope and forgiveness, while her piece of Takashi Nagai in Nagasaki’s War Museum honors those lost in WWII. Barbara sees her artistic gifts as a responsibility to express sorrow, inspire reconciliation, and bear witness to God’s enduring love.
Caroline grew up in Maumee, OH, and moved to Cincinnati to study Fine Arts and Art Education at the University of Cincinnati. She now lives on the West Side with her husband, Scott, where they raised five children. Drawing on the traditions of the past, Caroline creates handcrafted vestments and linens using authentic materials and time-honored techniques. She brings the same philosophy to teaching art, finding joy in helping others express themselves visually. Guided by historical practices and a love of Beauty, she believes art can lead hearts to contemplation and draw souls closer to the True Creator.
Daniel is a 26-year-old painter from Northern Kentucky. After earning a BFA from Xavier University, he studied at the Florence Academy of Art, where he won “Best Painting of the Year” and served as an artist-in-residence. He now teaches in the Academy’s drawing program and paints in his Florence studio. Specializing in narrative painting and portraiture, Daniel has completed commissions for churches, collectors, and exhibitions across North America and Europe. His accolades include finalist honors from the Art Renewal Center and Portrait Society of America, as well as features in Southwest Art’s “21 Under 31” and awards from the American Artists Professional League.
Deborah is a Cincinnati artist whose work is shaped by faith, family, and community. A lifelong parishioner of St. Gertrude, she now lives in Sycamore Township with her husband of 38 years. A graduate of the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Deborah has specialized in figurative art and portraiture for over 30 years. Her largest solo show, Portrait of Cincinnati, featured 56 oil portraits celebrating the region’s diverse spirit. Whether painting portraits, landscapes, or sacred art, she seeks to reflect God’s presence and beauty. Through her work, Deborah hopes to inspire others and deepen engagement with The Angelico Project’s mission.
Helena is from Taylor Mill, KY, and is currently on mission in West Virginia with a Catholic community providing low-income home repair in Appalachia. A painter, potter, and draftsman, she delights in co-creating with God and often draws inspiration from nature and its joyful creatures. Helena earned her BFA from Northern Kentucky University in 2023, focusing on painting, sculpture, and drawing. Her award-winning work has been featured in local shows, and she continues to take commissions. She is now plein air painting in the Blue Mountains and building a pottery studio, which she plans to bring home to Kentucky this fall to join Angelico’s mission.
Holly is a prolific local artist whose work is venerated both regionally and internationally—from New Zealand to Kenya, Chicago to Peru, and Dayton to Crescent Springs. Her art graces churches, universities, libraries, and even the Vatican—one of her pieces was gifted to Pope Francis. Holly describes herself as an “Evangel-Artist,” using her deep spirituality and creative gifts to honor God and draw others closer to Him. In June 2024, she was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Fra Angelico Award for her inspiring contributions to sacred art and Catholic culture.
Jason, originally from Kansas City, KS, earned a BFA in oil painting from the University of Kansas, where he deepened his faith through the St. Lawrence Catholic Newman Center. In 2005, a benefactor funded him to create over 30 New Testament-inspired paintings, launching his career in sacred art. Jason has continued to focus on religious themes, with works displayed in Catholic churches, schools, and homes. A career highlight came in 2023 with the completion of a 14-piece Stations of the Cross series. He lives in Northern Kentucky with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children.
Jennifer was born in Lexington, KY, and has lived in the Cincinnati area since age two. A lifelong artist, she felt that art should speak to life’s deepest truths—a conviction that led her to iconography, where she immediately felt at home. She studied painting and drawing at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and has since become a mother and grandmother. For over 20 years, Jennifer has studied and taught with the Prosopon School of Iconology. In her work, she seeks to become invisible so that Christ may be seen. Icons, she believes, are visual scripture—proclaiming the Gospel through beauty, symbol, and sacred story.
Leandra grew up in Ohio and now works from her home studio in Northern Kentucky overlooking the Ohio River. Inspired first by fairy tale illustrators like Trina Schart Hyman and Kinuko Y. Craft, and later by Renaissance masters, she sees art as a path to Beauty and the Divine. Leandra studied theology at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College and Sacred Art in Florence. She works in various mediums, especially oil and pencil, and specializes in religious art, portraits, and illustrations. Through her art, she hopes to “speak a worthy word,” awakening others to Truth and drawing hearts closer to God.
Sue grew up in Pittsburgh and has spent most of her adult life in Cincinnati. An oil painter of still-life and charming scenes, she draws inspiration from nature, travel, and gardening. Sixteen years of study with local instructors and a pivotal workshop with Sherri McGraw at the Scottsdale Artists’ School helped shape her path. She is a signature member of the Women’s Art Club of Cincinnati, a member of the Cincinnati Art Club, and a past member of the Brush and Palette Painters. Susan sees creativity—at home, in the garden, or on canvas—as a way to nourish the soul and evangelize through beauty. She loves and supports The Angelico Project and its vital mission.
Digital Arts
Ben is an animator and creative director with a passion for story-driven, multidisciplinary work. He studied film at John Paul the Great Catholic University and now serves as Creative Director at Tiny Saints. Early in his career, Ben focused on motion graphics, contributing to projects like the Fox broadcast of the 2015 Women’s World Cup and the Word on Fire logo. His clients have included Rocket League, Real + True, Fr. John Riccardo, Dynamic Catholic, Ascension, the Bible Project, and Scott Hahn. Living in Union, KY with his wife and four mischievous fairy princesses, Ben strives to bring stories of hope and transformation to life through animation.
Ben lives in Union, KY with his wife, Jennifer, and their seven children. A designer and creative director, he strives to use his craft in service of businesses and non-profits that promote the common good. Before cofounding the agency Heroic Strategies in 2019, Ben served as an in-house designer and creative lead for several top national non-profits. He sees design as a powerful tool to help Catholic organizations speak with renewed clarity and reach a world in need of the Church’s enduring message of hope, beauty, and truth.
Emma is a graphic designer and illustrator whose work blends sacred art, thoughtful design, and storytelling to inspire wonder, reflection, and joy. A native of Anderson Township, she now lives in Hyde Park and serves as graphic designer for The Catholic Telegraph, where she launched the “Divine Seeing” column in 2024. Emma holds a degree in graphic design from Marian University with minors in art history and pastoral leadership. Influenced by Dostoevsky’s belief that “beauty will save the world,” she sees beauty as a path to God—one that is good, true, and meant to captivate the soul.
John is a graphic designer and illustrator known for his book cover and film poster designs, as well as illustrations for three books. He is the editor of The Catholic Home Gallery, a collection of contemporary Catholic art, and co-author of Through the Year with Tomie dePaola. John lives in Cincinnati with his wife, four children, a cat, a dog, and three ducks. His work blends artistry and faith, aiming to make beauty accessible in everyday life.
Laura is a wife, mother, and photographer specializing in Catholic wedding photography. Originally from Rochester, NY, she now lives in Covington, KY, with her husband and four children. For Laura, photography is about preserving love, joy, and emotion in timeless images that become family legacies. She and her husband, Matthew, have photographed over 100 weddings across the country, capturing the beauty of the sacrament of matrimony. Using both digital and 35mm film, Laura seeks to tell sacred stories through her lens, believing that faith, marriage, and family are the foundations of a life worth remembering.
Mike is a creative director and designer with a passion for crafting meaningful experiences and building brands with purpose. At TiER1 Performance in Covington, he has worked with a wide range of Fortune 500 companies, helping them bring their vision to life through design. As Brand Manager and Designer for The Angelico Project, he helps bring its mission to life—uniting beauty, truth, and identity across print and digital mediums. His work reflects a deep commitment to the role of art in the life of the Church and the power of creativity to shape culture and stir hearts. Mike lives in Park Hills, KY with his wife, Jeannett, and their four children.
Nick is a Cincinnati-born filmmaker based in West Chester, whose work is deeply rooted in his vocation as a husband and father. Each project he takes on is measured by its worthiness of the time spent away from his wife and three children—seeking stories that build up the Church and lead others home to God. As a director and cinematographer, Nick has supported clients nationwide, with work featured on CBS, NFL Network, Golf Channel, and PBS. His latest film, The Boy From Milan: Stories of Carlo Acutis, streams on Formed.com. Through every film, he hopes to serve the Church and bring Christ to those he encounters.
Patrick is the owner of Drawn to the Image, a commercial photography and video production company. For over a decade, he has created content for businesses, organizations, and non-profits with a focus on powerful storytelling. His approach to each project centers on one question: how do we tell your story in the most impactful way possible? Patrick sees digital media as an art form, with story as its foundation. He is driven by the desire to craft visual narratives that resonate emotionally and inspire connection through the art of storytelling.
Stephen grew up on the west side of Cincinnati, attending Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Xavier High School, and Miami University. Now living in Madisonville, he began his graphic design business in 1999, serving a diverse range of clients with both print and digital work. His primary focus is on Catholic institutions, including The Angelico Project, St. Cecilia, Old St. Mary, Sacred Heart, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, and others. His mission is to restore and emphasize the beauty of Catholicism in every project, large or small. He believes beauty matters—and that it’s time to reclaim it in the life of the Church.
Musical Arts
Catherine, born in upstate NY as the youngest of eight, was raised in a devout Catholic family focused on faith, music, and study. A professional opera singer with degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and the Cleveland Institute of Music, she later turned to sacred music while raising and homeschooling her four children. For 24 years, she has taught voice for the Dominican Province of St. Joseph and leads workshops, devoted to preserving the Church’s liturgical beauty for God’s glory.
Anna, mezzo-soprano, committed early in her career to offering her musical gifts for the greater glory of God, focusing exclusively on liturgical music and the human soul. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Northern Kentucky University and has sung with Cantigium Vocal Ensemble, St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, the Athenaeum Chorale, and The Angelico Project. A former Catholic high school choir director, she also taught Aesthetics and Public Speaking. Anna is a cantor and section leader with The Oratory Singers at Old St. Mary’s, a home educator, and a lifelong lover of theatre who teaches drama to fellow Indiana homeschoolers.
Audrey is a wife, mother, and lifelong Cincinnatian, now living in Bond Hill. A classically trained violist with Suzuki roots, she studied music education at Miami University and loves singing in choral ensembles. Whether listening or creating, she believes music helps us encounter God in a way that draws us beyond ourselves. She is passionate about connection—both with fellow musicians and with audiences—and sees music as a collaborative art that brings beauty and reverence to sacred spaces.
Christopher is an internationally recognized conductor, organist, and music scholar. He serves as Director of Music at St. Gertrude Church (Dominican Order) in Cincinnati, directing Capella Gertrudiana—the U.S.’s only choral foundation of boy and girl choristers with professional lower voices. He holds a Ph.D. in Music from the University of Oxford, where he was the first American to direct a major collegiate choir. A former fellow at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, his performances have aired on BBC and European media. Christopher is a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic and a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus.
Daniel is an experienced choral vocalist who grew up in Annapolis, MD and currently lives in Bellevue, KY. Dan has been singing choral music and leading ensembles since college. Time in seminary brought him to Rome, Italy, where he sang in St Peter’s, the Sistine Chapel, and many other sacred spaces. Now he directs the Angelico young adult choir for the monthly Candlelight masses and is a staff tenor at Old St Mary’s in OTR. Music, especially sacred chant and polyphony, has a unique power to raise the soul to God. Bringing these pieces to life for others is a joy and a privilege.
Luke is a Cincinnati-based cellist who believes beauty is in high demand and seeks to lead others to God through music. He has studied at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto and UC’s College-Conservatory of Music, and has played cello for over 20 years. A winner of numerous competitions, including first prize in the Matinee Musicale Scholarship Competition, Luke performs with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra and regularly appears with orchestras throughout the region. He believes music has the power to move hearts deeply—and strives to offer beauty that lifts minds and souls to the One who is most beautiful.
Natalie is a passionate violinist and music educator from Cincinnati, OH who sees music as a sacred gift that reflects God’s beauty and stirs the soul. Through teaching and performance, she seeks to awaken wonder, reveal truth, and lead hearts to Christ. Living with her husband and daughter, she serves the Church and The Angelico Project by offering each note as an act of love and a path to encounter the divine through beauty beyond words.
Sean is Director of Sacred Music and Organist at Old St. Mary’s Church / Cincinnati Oratory, where he leads a vibrant music program serving liturgies in Latin, German, and English. Rooted in Gregorian chant, Latin polyphony, and German Singmesse traditions, he also values robust congregational singing and contributes original compositions, translations, and hymn texts. Sean previously served in Minnesota’s Diocese of New Ulm, directing parish, school, and diocesan music programs. He holds a Master’s in Church Music from Concordia University Wisconsin. Sean lives in Norwood with his wife, Chelsea, and their four joyful children.
Stephen, Sacred Music Director at Queen of Apostles Parishes in Cincinnati, is a devoted servant of God whose passion for music flows from his deep faith. Inspired by Bach, he taught himself piano and organ, practicing up to 12 hours a day. Once a guitarist in bars, his return to the Church—guided by Bishop Earl, Catherine Fishlock, and Sean Connolly—transformed his life. Now, he seeks to glorify God and lead others to holiness through the beauty of sacred music.
Sydney is a parish music coordinator, animal interpreter, and independent artist—musician, actress, and puppeteer—based in Northern Kentucky and active across Greater Cincinnati. The daughter of a mechanical engineer and visual artist, she was raised in a creative home and joyfully embraced music, theatre, writing, and visual arts. She views her work as a way to reveal the supernatural beauty woven into everyday life, guided by a “sacramental vision” of the world. Sydney prays her art helps others recognize God’s hand in their lives and to see with hearts attuned to wonder, story, and grace.
William is a classically trained singer and arts administrator originally from Portsmouth, OH, now based in Cincinnati. With a passion for sacred music—especially Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony—he seeks to create and facilitate art that draws others into transcendent beauty. He has over 10 years of experience in arts and education administration and loves using his gifts in service to the Church. For him, uniting his love of music with his love for Jesus is the greatest mission he can live out.
Art Education
Dr. Cecelia Dorger recently retired from teaching art history at Mount St. Joseph University and now serves as an adjunct professor at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology. She holds a Ph.D. in art history from the University of Louisville, specializing in Medieval and Renaissance sacred art, especially depictions of the Virgin Mary. A frequent speaker at churches and conferences, she collaborates with The Angelico Project on tours, videos, and lectures exploring the connection between art and prayer. In 2024, she co-authored Universal Mother, a journal published by Franciscan Media. Cecelia is grateful for her husband, children, and four grandchildren.
We’re Thrilled to Announce the New Angelico Catholic Arts Guild Leadership Team!
William Meriwether
Director
Ben West
Vice Director
Gracie Ghering
Membership Advancement Coordinator
Jayden Connelly
Event Coordinator
Make a Donation! Mail to:
The Angelico Project
2136 Chamber Center Drive
Lakeside Park, KY 41017
(513) 327-8516
The Angelico Project is a 501c (3) nonprofit organization. Federal Tax ID 83-2395460.