Open paint cans clutter the floor, and color slops over
the edges, resembling her deliberately wild
brushstrokes that are no less of a spiritual undertaking
to her than if painted by Kandinsky or Rothko.
Her artworks don’t often sell, not unlike the great
Vincent van Gogh’s paintings in his lifetime,
and when they do, she rarely gets more than the cost
of materials back.
She has a temporary job
that pays the rent of her studio in the Life Arts building
in Riverside, CA, a sleeping bag behind her easel.
Her dream is not the American Dream, but one
where life is an art, success measured in the experience.
Dana Stamps, II has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Cal State University of San Bernardino, and he has worked as a fast food server, a postal clerk, a security guard, and a group home worker with troubled boys. His recent publications to date include: Plainsongs, Bayou, Slant, Blue Collar Review, Main Street Rag, J Journal, Connecticut River Review, Evansville Review, Santa Fe Review, Front Range Review, and Coal City Review.