Biography
Born in Newcastle Australia, Edwina Richards completed a Bachelor of Arts (Communications) degree in 1993 and worked for several years thereafter as a freelance writer/researcher in Sydney, with clients including Greenpeace Australia and Amnesty International. In 1999 she completed a Master of Art (Photo Media) degree from the Uni of NSW College of Fine Arts (COFA) with High Distinction and Vitamin D deficiency (she loves her darkroom).
Edwina has exhibited her photographic art work nationally and in Europe, has worked in the Australian film and television industry in various roles, and has held technical roles within the Photographic departments at UNSW COFA and the University of Technology Sydney.
She has published an artist book, travelled extensively through Asia, Africa and Europe, and was Cinematographer/16mm film and digital Camera Operator on an international award winning short film “The Stone Thrower”.
In 2007 Edwina returned to Newcastle to raise a young family of three boys closer to the sea. There she was inspired and supported by Renew Newcastle and the burgeoning Novocastrian art/craft scene to found a collaborative retail shopfront and workshop space known as Make Space. Make Space ran for almost 5 years (2009 -2013) and proudly showcased over 70 local artisans. Edwina continued to support the work of Renew Newcastle for the next 4 years (to Jan 2018) in the role of Project Advocacy,as a member of the board of directors, and as photo-curator of a travelling showcase of the RN story "Renew In A Box".
During this period she also began returning to her photographic practice working commercially as a freelance photographer and art educator. She is currently based in a co-working creative space at Clock Tower Studios in Hamilton, a suburb of Newcastle, NSW.