Cecelia Dorger, Ph.D. is an art historian and author who specializes in sacred art, particularly images of the Virgin Mary.
My love of art history was ignited by visits to the Art Institute of Chicago with my Aunt Annie and my Grandma. My father talked about Mary, the Mother of God, as if she were a close pal and his infectious enthusiasm about Mary spread through our family.
I taught art history at Mount St. Joseph University for years while raising my kids. When they were heading to college, I decided to pursue a Ph.D. and wanted nothing more than to focus on Marian art. If I had to spend years looking closely at artwork, I would have to love the subject. I love Mary.
I continue to share my love of Mary using the beauty of art as an instrument for talks, classroom videos, and tours of area churches. I teach a sacred Scripture/sacred art class at Mount St. Mary Seminary and School of Theology, and I am a frequent lecturer around the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky area.
A Journal for Finding Yourself in Mary
In 2022 artist Holly Schapker and I teamed up to write reflections and journal prompts corresponding to twenty of Schapker’s paintings of the Virgin Mary from every corner of the globe. This beautiful book will be released on April 2, 2024.
