A local tribute to Prince is drawing fans to a quiet, dead-end street in Citrus Heights.
The brightly colored mural of Prince is placed underneath a round tree, its leaves framing the face and standing in as the artist’s hair.
“People just come up and they tell me how much they like it. It got so bad that I had to put up a sign saying take a card, take as many pictures as you want,” artist Christine Stein said.
Before Prince’s death last week, the tree had been used for another mural, in honor of famous television art instructor Bob Ross. The subject made perfect sense for Stein – a self-taught artist who had been working as an engineer until 2013.
“I was very normal back then. This dyed hair is a tribute to me not going back to work,” Stein said, referring to her pink- and purple-dyed hair.
Stein says Prince’s song, “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World,” inspired her with its message about inner beauty.
“I was listening to that song the exact moment he died – or I heard that he died on the radio. And I was really sad,” Stein said.
Now, she’s hoping that her latest mural inspires others to pursue their passions and nurture their creative sides.
“If I can do it, after being an engineer for so long, I think anyone can do it,” Stein said.
