Ted Thomas is a prolific artist of Fiordland landscapes. Before taking up the easel and brush, he was involved in a variety of different enterprises from building commercial properties to running a milk bar. This interview concentrates on his involvement in the Fiordland Venison Industry as a meat processing and packaging factory owner and operator. Starting in Mossbum and moving to Te Anau in the early 1960s, Ted provides some details about how he got into the business and who he worked with. A few asides in the conversation hint at how much Te Anau has changed over the past forty years.