Local

Bryan Stephens aka TRANIO is the first in front of the mic to kick off what we’re calling a Treasure Chest of Taming.

Bryan discusses playing Tranio, the “good man”, fun and naivety, finding parallels between himself and his character, diving in vs caution, acting for the first time outside of educational institution, being drawn to theatre and a family of firsts.

*The theatre gods did not appear to be on the side of documentation in May. Throughout the Treasure Chest you’ll find disturbances in audio quality. Local’s genius of a producer Carter Pierce worked his magic, but perfection is impossible to achieve. You’ll also hear the voices of the cast and crew, but that’s all part of the fun.

Watch for Stencilled Productions next work at:

@stencilledproductions

Find Bryan at:

@bryanstephens

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@localthepodcast

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Mick Onions is an ex-Queenstown local now based in nipaluna/Hobart lutruwita/Tasmania. Mick and I met while he was in town for his High School’s 50th class reunion.

Mick discusses Queenstown in the 50’s, fond memories, father and son relationships, hiding lemonade in cool springs, feeling gratitude, the wild wharfs, living hard, the train run from Queenstown to Strahan, having too much of a good thing (cordial), the lager phone, “bad blood”, a childhood near death experience, childhood freedom, open door policy, the price of copper plummeting and the devastating consequences, change and uncertainty, lingering pain, keeping hope alive, exploring home, what hate means and what it serves, the decisions we make and the choices that are taken away, life lessons, poverty, survival, finding his calling, creating opportunities for yourself, dealing with resilient human beings, retirement and if given the option, knowing he’d do it all the same way again.

Adam Thompson is an Aboriginal, pakana writer based in Launceston, lutruwita/Tasmania. Adam and I met while he was an artist-in residence through The Unconformity in 2021. First I dug some stray glitter from my bag to impress Adam’s son, then I read a handful of his short stories. Soon after we were recording this conversation.

Adam discusses his mother, “a very nice lady” and the dedication of his first story collection to her, love from beyond the veil, generational disconnection, estranged and redeemed relationships, lack of control, his 2 year limit away from Tasmania, being adventurous, abundance and lack mentality, introspection and imaginative play, living in books, admiration for storytelling, the pressure of future ambition, pointless habits, videography as it relates to narrative, inviting the audience into a familiar yet foreign world, the importance of flawed characters, straddling two worlds with a strong identity, becoming battle hardened, the changing world, “making people feel something”, perception, support due to genuine intention, imposters, boundaries and borders, ambiguous endings and tapping into childlike wonder.

Adam is an ex-mainlander and new-wave Queenstown resident. After mistaking him for a completely different Adam at a local exhibition I asked to talk more. Adam and I recorded over a couple of beers in his home, seated restfully on a vast cowhide.

Adam discusses circumstance vs self description, having a “relatively standard” upbringing, micro-culture shifts, wanting rebellion, a desire to disconnect from commercialism, being malleable, paying a price for instinct, asking if renouncing expectations is worth it, realising a feeling of separation from ones pack, being fearless in the face of aloneness, taking responsibility, finding a foundation to build upon, showing others another path through personal action, dream life and defening quiet, the “gruelling fucking process of change”, becoming a part of what you’re around and needing to go back in time for a person to find him.

George Kennedy is a multidisciplinary artist based in nipaluna/Hobart. The heart of George’s practice is drawing. It’s intrinsic in every media he visits along the way, whether It be painting, printmaking or ceramics. I clearly remember meeting George during his residency at the Q-Bank Gallery. We sat with each other and connected through conversation in a way I hadn’t expected.

George discusses endless green, similar amounts of separation, almost exclusively exploring Tasmania, being in full view, “adding on and on and on”, work developing as understanding grows, drawing opposed to photography as a means to document, “Queenstown colour”, memory based in feeling and action, escaping, building a relationship with the outside, enjoying the misery of nature, falling into the sublime, losing something by pausing, making bad art, shifting baseline syndrome, our limited language for landscape, being understand and understanding.

This is a second conversation recorded with Sophie Suitor. Sophie discusses Lack of support from mental health services, the notion of hierarchy in family units, asking what or who blame serves, generational gifts and suffering, the what ifs, fading away, grief and closure, accusations, connection however small, feeling hurt, acceptance, kindness and becoming the person you want to be.

This episode contains graphic content concerning cmental illness, violence, family discord and pharmaceutical medication. Please be kind to yourself when listening and remember, you don’t have to listen at all.

The poem played at the top of the episode, ‘Your Sister in a Coma’, was written and read by Kim Nielsen-Creeley, who will feature later in the season.

Sarah Rhodes is a photographer and thinker currently based in Launceston, lutruwita/Tasmania. I met Sarah through past Local guest, Dave Carswell. Sarah was seeking subjects for her PhD project, A Surrounded Beauty, and I’m always seeking interesting people to talk to. So! We made a trade.

Sarah discusses going to the tip with her father in too small gumboots, home being where the heart is, coming from “island people”, the idea that the gifts you give your children shape them, slow processing of events and meanings, the time it takes to make a decision, getting ready, not having a clear path but instead collecting building blocks, the point of it all, finding “the real”, work about others reflecting the self, the natural world tapping into what is human, being in nature providing the opportunity to drop expectation, wildness, psychological wildness, not being ready to understand, nature having an inherent violence, tension between solitude providing creative drive while also offering a looming loneliness, city spaces vs regional spaces and understanding contentment through self-containment.

Sophie Suitor is a Queenstown local born in the old Queenstown hospital and raised all over the West and North-West Coast. Sophie and I recorded a number of times, this is just one of our conversations. Sophie is a mother, wife, florist and friend to everyone she meets.

Sophie discusses growing up too fast, generational cycles, changing perspective, creating your own world, escaping the town in favour of the bush, simplicity, learning to be self reliant, what local means and what being an outsider feels like, leaving the West and being called back home, belonging, the responsibilities of the previous generation and the new generation of West-Coasters and her ideas for a brighter future for Queenstown.

Abigail Rothery is a painter, drawer and printmaker based in nipaluna/Hobart. I met Abigail while she was visiting Joshua Santospirito during his residency in 2020. We quickly bonded over tampons and windows and again, promised to record a longer conversation when the time presented itself.

Abbie discusses arriving in Australia from the UK on Invasion Day, figuring out who and what you want to be, being an artist and badminton champ, fluidity, transience and loyalty, being interested in many different things, the importance of versatility, the intersection of exterior and interior, making your own garden, the politics of art school and diminishing returns, being a serial Queenstown visitor, coining the phrase “doing a Carl Ross” to describe artists moving to Queenstown, light, the role of technology in art making and her deep love of collaboration.

Caitlin Foster is a multidisciplinary artist currently based in The Mimili Community on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, in the North-West of South Australia. Emmalie met Caitlin for the first time in 2020 while she was exhibiting for 'Conglomerate' at the Q-Bank Gallery. Caitlin returned with Tim Coad to Queenstown for a family gathering, so we snatched some time to record a conversation. We recorded back to back with Tim. Although I was feeling ill, Caitlin offered me renewed energy with her playful vibes. Caitlin discusses paper people and drawing rooms, channeling tension and stress into her characters, discovering the true monsters; the machines, large and small, getting sidetracked as a means to finding something, her deep love of story, the process of creating narratives, neglected machines and the importance of stupid smartphones, the almost inescapable nature of industry, the act of seeking, dipping out of reality for four years, doing “a little bit of this, a little bit of that”, and the greatest love story ever known - the story of Caitlin’s folks meeting in Queenstown and the sparks that set off in that moment.