International Women's Day: Annie Morgan Suganami's Olion Bywyd
Curated by Gallery Ten's Cat Gardiner, Olion Bywyd is the first collaborative exhibition from Cardiff to Cardigan
In honour of International Women's Day, Canfas is proud to present Gallery Ten’s exhibition of paintings by Machynlleth based Annie Morgan Suganami.
At the heart of Suganami’s work are the matriarchs — the elderly women who shaped family and community life, yet are so often overlooked by society. In her exhibition Olion Bywyd - Life Lines, Suganami turns her gaze solely to portraiture, giving these women the dignity and visibility they deserve.
Known for both her portraits and still life paintings, Suganami brings tremendous tenderness, humour, and love to her sitters — as if they represent all those quiet heroines whose influence endures across generations.
Her rich, flowing paintings demonstrate a confident mastery of the brush. The paint is reworked again and again — built up, rubbed back and rebuilt — before being accented with strong outlines and flashes of neon. With a single skilful gesture, the curve of a shoulder, the fold of a sleeve, or the weight of a blouse comes alive. This ease with paint gives her portraits vitality and warmth, ensuring her subjects feel present and dynamic rather than formal or posed.
The interplay of fine detail and loose, immediate marks offers a multitude of visual entry points, while the degree to which Suganami balances these elements varies from work to work — reflecting the individuality and character of each sitter.