Richard Eginton
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Biography
Love of art goes way back in our family. I’m talking way back. Francis Eginton (1737 - 1805), was a glass painter. He painted windows for cathedrals, churches, chapels and stately homes, throughout England. His masterpiece is "The conversion of St. Paul", for the east window of St. Paul’s Church in Birmingham, England. His son, brother, and nephew were also celebrated artist of the time. My love of photography started when I was a young boy. Our family bought one of the original Polaroid cameras and I loved the instant gratification of it. My first “photo shoot” was with the Polaroid. I cajoled my two younger sisters into coming down to the local stream to pose on the rocks.
My father, who loved oil painting and photography, encouraged me by praising those early Polaroid photos. I later enjoyed applying pencil and charcoal to canvas. Eventually life got in the way of art, and although I never lost my love for it, I drifted away. Through the years Dad and his sister Rose Eginton, who prefers watercolors and was once a part of the Melbourne art scene, always encouraged me to paint. I always thought I didn’t have the time to dedicate to an easel. I stuck with photography instead. Looking back, I can see that the many hours invested in photography were no less than would have been involved in those other disciplines.
Praise from a dad lasts forever. I still love taking scenic photos, but I also enjoy those fleeting moments where one gets to look at the world from a slightly different perspective. To be aware of those opportunities to capture those unexpected moments, or sometimes those expected moments in an unexpected way is a challenge I try to be prepared for everyday. As I imagine is the case for all the member artist here, I found it difficult to pick six pieces to help you, the viewer, see where my art is coming from. Hopefully you’ll see a bit of the way I look at the world in them all.