Ali Cavanaugh (American 1973) is a painter known for her luminous, highly detailed portraits created through a technique she describes as “modern fresco.” Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she earned a BFA from Kendall College of Art and Design in 1995 and later completed a residency at the New York Studio Residency Program in New York City. Working with watercolor on clay-coated panels, Cavanaugh builds delicate layers of translucent color that produce a soft, atmospheric surface while maintaining remarkable realism. Her intimate portraits focus on light, expression, and the subtleties of human presence, earning her international recognition for expanding the possibilities of watercolor as a contemporary fine art medium.