Art Hound

Realist portraits by St. Louis-based artist and mother of three Ali Cavanaugh. Cavanaugh’s story is unusual – as a young child she lost most of her hearing and views the incident as a “blessing in disguise” that brought with it a keen appreciation for body language and the visual world as a whole. These observations are at the heart of her paintings in which she marries a hyper-realist painting style with the palpable presence of the human spirit.

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It’s in the moment of hesitation when one moves into the interior space of thought that I find my inspiration. I’m constantly in a state of awareness about the world taking in the imagery, colors, and patterns that to my eye are compositions of settings and people. This keeps my perception enriched by each and every moment. I believe that every situation in life has potential as a great work of art.

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And for those who may be wondering about Cavanaugh’s process, she applies watercolor to plaster panels, also known as neo fresco secco.