Timothy Christopher Ryan is a kind, fun guy who contains multitudes: a nature-loving bogan, nightlife creature, arts powerhouse and professional agent of delightful chaos. He claims to be a hyper-coloured introvert who constantly bursts out with unexpected laughter. It sounds confusing, I know.
The creative force behind Scratch Arts and Q-Lit, Timothy is just as comfortable lounging in a flanny at home as he is drenched in glitter, tearing up a dancefloor until sunrise. Fuelled by queer joy, he’s a man who regularly needs to recharge by packing up his van and disappearing deep into the bush as he seeks out the best swimming spots around the country. Ask him which one is his favourite, and he’ll share a story splashed with wonder and mischief. When he needs to create, expect colour, camp, humour, vulnerability and a healthy disrespect for boring things.
Ahead of his hit art show Creative Juices coming to Tuggeranong Arts Centre, we caught up with Timothy to talk about joyful rebellion, queer visibility, heading bush, teenage crushes, AI and the possibility that he would thrive in a zombie apocalypse.
What is the most unexpected thing people learn about you if they get close?
That I’m an introvert. I come across as a high-energy ball of hyper colour, but after an evening of being around people, I’m gonna need time alone to recover. If you put me on that TV show Alone, I’d probably win… and be very, very hungry at the same time.
What do you do when you’re away from theatre that fills your heart with joy?
I go out into nature. I’ll literally decide at lunchtime that I wanna go on an adventure; I’ll throw some things into the van and drive off into the bush for a few days. Being in nature is rejuvenating, but what actually brings me joy is finding a bloody good body of water to swim in! If you’re interested, my top three swimming spots are the Murray River (specifically at Yarrawonga), anywhere on the north side of Rottnest Island, and number one: Nellies Glen in Robertson, NSW. You should definitely go check them out this summer.
Your creative work includes lots of paint-filled, camp fun, vulnerability and a decent amount of chaos.
Where did your appetite for these things come from? This is where the gift of ADHD kicks in and takes over my mind and body. I must do things constantly and can’t stand boring things. Camp, in particular, is an opportunity to bring a bit of joy and silliness to the world around me, and it breaks up the monotony of the capitalist hellscape that decided years ago we should work all the time. The kids on TikTok these days call it ‘whimsy’, but it’s the same thing as camp.
“Queer joy” seems to be the latest catchphrase. What does it mean to you in the messy real world?
I feel that true queer joy rejects the narrative that LGBTIQ+ life is always hard and a struggle. Throw in some glitter, a few parties, stunning outfits, silliness and, for me, a Euro holiday or two and voilà, you have “queer joy”. It shows our haters and naysayers that we’re fine and their attacks won’t bring us down.
Has the definition of joy changed for you as you have grown older?
I’ve had a funny realisation recently: although I’m 36, I rarely feel like an adult. It hit me that this is because I focus on putting joy first in everything I do. Joy used to come naturally to me when I was younger; there was wonder in new experiences and less weight in my mind.
Nowadays, I have to remind myself to seek it out. I’ve also noticed that I used to be very outwardly expressive, showing it in what I wear and how I act; now it’s more me-focused… what do I enjoy and who around me is bringing joy?
When the news and the world seem grim, what keeps you hopeful, happy and motivated?
I’m actually hopeful that one day soon the world might fall into a zombie apocalypse. I think I’d do well killing zombies by day and running a touring circus in the evening from settlement to settlement. But in a less world-ending way, I’m generally optimistic, which helps because I can see the world I want and am happy to fight for it.
What is the most gloriously ridiculous thing you have ever done?
I have big ideas and love following through on them. In 2015, I opened and ran an arts warehouse in Melbourne for two years — it was huge! It had artist studios, a gallery, a theatre and an events space with parties two or three times a week. In 2022, I started Australia’s largest queer literary festival, Q-Lit, and it’s still expanding wildly.
But the most gloriously ridiculous thing I have done recently was touring Creative Juices in South WA and convincing a five-star hotel to trade a few nights’ stay for a private show for their staff and guests. The staff loved it; the guests had a great time… the hotel owner was mortified that I stripped down in their dining hall and had all their fancy guests smear paint on my body.
For someone encountering your show for the first time, what kind of night are you inviting them into?
Creative Juices is a fun, casual night of giggles that morphs into a psychedelic trip of chaos and colour, something simple for your Friday night out. By the end of the evening, you might find yourself up on stage dancing wildly with me while I’m in nothing but my underwear.
The show has a lot of audience participation, what happens when someone becomes part of the work?
They have an experience they can talk about. Something weird and unique, but also an opportunity to safely explore their creativity and self-expression. They wake up, let their natural impulses take over, and allow themselves to react in the moment to the silliness of chaos. Participants get to play, and adults don’t play enough.
What can audiences expect to take home?
At least six artworks you can put on the fridge, or somewhere your mum will see them so that she can say, “Aren’t they…nice”, with a stressed smile on her face. The art won’t be good; there’s no time for a Rembrandt or a Monet, only time to embrace the silly and find the absurd. The last piece of art is the most important. I can’t give away too many secrets, but as a hint, my body hair makes a good paintbrush, and we learn techniques like printmaking — the word “learn” is used very very loosely.
Do you have rituals before stepping on stage?
My favourite ritual is simply hanging with the audience. I realised this on a six-month tour of Creative Juices. I was touring out of my van up and down the coast of Australia. I discovered that saying g’day to the audience before the show makes me human to them, and they’re far less scary for me. By the time the show starts, we’re just a bunch of friends having a gay time together.
What are your thoughts on AI’s emergence in the creative and art space?
I love it; let AI make all the theatre and art, ha! It’s time for humans to get universal basic income and do nothing but play all day. Oh, I’d actually get bored of this quickly, but I still think everyone should have their basic needs covered! On a serious note, I can see its benefit in the arts — very slight benefits. It can be a useful tool for independent artists to apply for funding or to help run their operations.
Nowadays, artists have to be small business owners, marketing professionals, accountants and so much more, and there’s lots we don’t know. AI could help with these things and assist with admin. The key, I think, is to keep it to a minimum and use it for those boring business bits.
What do you think are the biggest issues facing the world and society today?
The power of capitalism and the self-obsessed, money-obsessed people at the top. We have the resources to take care of everyone, but they’re being restricted so powerful people can get richer.
We shouldn’t be made to feel bad about ourselves, worry about how much protein we eat, or worry about whether we have the latest iPhone, just so big business can sell us things. And nobody should go without healthcare because they “haven’t worked hard enough” — everyone deserves a decent life.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?
Keep doing new things; you don’t have to choose one thing and be perfect at that. New experiences will open you up to lovely people, wonderful tastes and landscapes that will blow your mind.
Who was your teenage crush?
Firstly, the models in the underwear section of Myers in that pre-internet world that I grew up in. Then perhaps Orlando Bloom, which is weird to realise now as he’s so different to my current type. Oh, and also Brian Kinney from the US Queer as Folk; I watched that show with the volume down on the lowest notch on the smallest TV. His confidence and loft apartment were such a turn-on.
Finally, what do you think is the most radical thing a queer person can do to make a difference?
Be your true self and be visibly queer in a regional area. I think straight people need to see us everywhere; we need to live openly and normalise our existence in every aspect of society.
Promising laughter, connection and delightfully ridiculous artworks to take home, you can catch Timothy’s show Creative Juices at Tuggeranong Arts on Friday 6 November.
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