THRESHOLD

Threshold is an ongoing series to aid touring artists and musicians in memory-making and recall by adorning their utilitarian holding spaces -the green room. These pieces are meant to be out of view by the public for the time they are installed, wholly a gift to the subject, and are dismantled after the show. The work leaves when the band does.
I live in the in-between of two major midwestern cities, perfect to split up sections of travel. A visual installation in an unexpected place can introduce a checkpoint in asking- "was it before or after the Threshold?" or most likely- "was that before or after the flower thing?"

Green rooms are not typically glamorous spaces, which I take as a personal challenge; the contrast of "frivolous" femme mediums in a strictly functional space. They are also often lonely spaces, too; a box where you realize how long you've been away from friends and family.  After a tour, recalling what shows happened when can be difficult, especially if an artist has had many touring projects. What venue was it? Which band? Which tour? Who was on crew?
A point of the project is for a Threshold to be seen only by those I make it for and their people during its lifespan. I also work intentionally to make my appearance scarce, for the subject to experience what we as listeners/viewers do, as well as to emphasize that the green room space is theirs, not mine.
All florals and materials are repurposed or donated to local non-profits after teardown.

L.S. Dunes
Outset, Chicago 4.26.25

THRESHOLD I

Threshold I was in celebration of L.S. Dunes’ album Violet.
The colors and textures of this piece were chosen based on my personal synesthetic experience with the tracks - particularly Like Magick, Violet, and Machines. A majority of the florals were foraged, selecting supporting greenery that is native to both the Midwest and East Coast, where the project’s members hail from.
Inset nail polish appliques hung from branches, reflecting light, color, and preconceived notions; expired eyeshadow dusted hellebore and mums.

Photo: Joseph Szabó

Outset’s green room is on an upper floor, so the staircase served as the setting, extending to the ceiling. Candles were lit at different stages until showtime, with all extinguished before the bands’ return after their set.
Synesthetic bouquets and candles were placed in the green rooms of both Plague Vendor and From Indian Lakes, L.S. Dunes’ supporting acts.
A thank you to Al and Katie of Outset/Radius for hosting this self-funded work.

Photo: Hayley Rippey

THRESHOLD II

Chris Austin
my family’s home
Eugene, 8.17.25

I had three Thresholds planned for 2025, none of which were for my father. As I built Threshold I, he fell more ill. He passed away in the fall after a spring and summer of horrible illness. Months before my dad passed, he said he was playing the best guitar he ever had.
Chris Austin was a blues rock guitarist, known most for his work in the Chicago music scene from the 1970s-2010s. He brought together crowds of all musical backgrounds to broaden the reach for local fundraising efforts. He moved to Eugene, OR in 2019 to be with the littlest ones of the the family, where he built yet another community of musicians. In addition to his musicianship, he lived a life serving others for 45 years as a clinical supervisor and program developer for substance abuse treatment.

He was an incredible inspiration for the Threshold project. I grew up a roadie - lucky enough to shake kid-sized maracas on side stage as a peanut and eventually set up his rig (carefully supervised) as a teenager.


Chris’ signatures were his 1992 Gibson Les Paul Custom Sunburst (D’Addario EXL110 strings) and Fender confetti picks.
All florals for Threshold II were sourced from local Eugene growers - Formosa Flower Farm, Charles Little & Co., and my siblings’ bay tree in the front yard. Due to the last-minute travel to the PNW, I had no floral supplies - Wrong Number Floral came to my aid. These small businesses made the installation possible in the time that I had.
The palette was based on a nail lacquer painting I made for my dad in 2021, titled Riff., that captured the textures and colors I saw in his guitar tone. I chose native flowers and grasses from Illinois and native greens from Oregon. The structure is held up by his microphone stand and tightened together by guitar cables. Tucked in is a guitar strap I gifted him ten years ago.