In the foreground, a silhouetted woman holds a projector. In the background is a car. Inside the car, a young boy looks at the woman, lit by the interior car light.
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Samantha Cox, foreground, steadies a projector while her son Bowen looks on from the family car on the night of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Marshfield, Mo. Samantha is a full-time muralist working in southwest Missouri. The projector, which displays a digital image onto whatever surface she is working on, helps her trace out shapes and lettering faster than she can do so free-handed. 

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Samantha Cox, foreground, steadies a projector while her son Bowen looks on from the family car on the night of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Marshfield, Mo. Samantha is a full-time muralist working in southwest Missouri. The projector, which displays a digital image onto whatever surface she is working on, helps her trace out shapes and lettering faster than she can do so free-handed. 

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Painting and Loving in Small Town Missouri


Samantha Cox was just a few months into a new job when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Then she was furloughed. At home with no job to go to, she turned to an old comfort — painting.


She started by assisting a friend on a mural before taking on her own projects. A mural she painted along the main strip of Marshfield, Mo. drew attention her way, and she began to realize that her paint-splattered side hustle could become her career. When her former employer called to tell her the furlough was over, she politely said that she would not be returning. She is now a full-time muralist.


Samantha paints while looking after her other passion — her son Bowen, a rambunctious six-year-old that she currently homeschools. Long days at her paint sites mean long days away from him, although a tight and joyful embrace starts every evening when she gets back home.


This essay was photographed as part of the 72nd Missouri Photo Workshop, which has been creating an archive of small-town Missouri since 1949.  

A hand reaches for a pile of paint and brushes resting on the grass.
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The tools of Samantha’s trade — paints and brushes and rollers — lie in the grass on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Marshfield, Mo. Samantha began painting as a hobby seven years ago but has been working in different art mediums since she was 10 years old. She began painting professionally in April, starting with the help of a friend. “I felt a little nervous,” Samantha said on working professionally with her friend. “I was really rusty.” 

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The tools of Samantha’s trade — paints and brushes and rollers — lie in the grass on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Marshfield, Mo. Samantha began painting as a hobby seven years ago but has been working in different art mediums since she was 10 years old. She began painting professionally in April, starting with the help of a friend. “I felt a little nervous,” Samantha said on working professionally with her friend. “I was really rusty.” 

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The hands of a woman and a child hold onto a pen and homework workbook on top of a wooden table.
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Samantha Cox guides her son Bowen, 6, through his math practice on the evening of Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, at her father’s home in Fordland, Mo. Samantha and her husband decided to homeschool Bowen this year, primarily because the family is expecting to move to a new school district in the upcoming weeks and they did not want to pull him from school to school in the middle of the year. 

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Samantha Cox guides her son Bowen, 6, through his math practice on the evening of Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, at her father’s home in Fordland, Mo. Samantha and her husband decided to homeschool Bowen this year, primarily because the family is expecting to move to a new school district in the upcoming weeks and they did not want to pull him from school to school in the middle of the year. 

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A woman looks intently out of frame. A smudge of black paint is on her cheek.
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Samantha Cox brushes Bowen’s teeth on the evening of Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, at her father’s home in Fordland. On her cheek, a smudge of black paint is a remnant of Samantha’s day working on a mural in nearby Marshfield. 

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Samantha Cox brushes Bowen’s teeth on the evening of Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, at her father’s home in Fordland. On her cheek, a smudge of black paint is a remnant of Samantha’s day working on a mural in nearby Marshfield. 

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A silhouetted woman operates a boom lift while looking up at a grain silo.
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Using her rented boom lift, Samantha Cox rises to the level of her latest mural on Friday, Sept 25, 2020, in Marshfield Mo. Samantha was furloughed in March due to the pandemic and in April began working on mural projects with a friend. She soon pivoted to solo work. When her job called her back to end her furlough, Samantha told them she wouldn’t be going back — she had a new career. 

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Using her rented boom lift, Samantha Cox rises to the level of her latest mural on Friday, Sept 25, 2020, in Marshfield Mo. Samantha was furloughed in March due to the pandemic and in April began working on mural projects with a friend. She soon pivoted to solo work. When her job called her back to end her furlough, Samantha told them she wouldn’t be going back — she had a new career. 

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A backlit woman looks up and out of frame, smiling.
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Samantha Cox examines her current mural from the ground on the evening of Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Marshfield, Mo. Her new career as a muralist means early mornings and late nights. “The more time I have the better,” Samantha said. “Right now, I feel like a workaholic because it doesn’t feel like work.” 

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Samantha Cox examines her current mural from the ground on the evening of Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Marshfield, Mo. Her new career as a muralist means early mornings and late nights. “The more time I have the better,” Samantha said. “Right now, I feel like a workaholic because it doesn’t feel like work.” 

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A young boy lays out on the ground, upside down. His arms are spread out like a cross. His shirt is up and around his head, the sleeves also spread out like a cross.
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Bowen lies on the floor of his room, resisting getting dressed on the morning of Thursday, Sept 24, 2020. While his mom puts in days at various painting sites, Bowen spends many of his days with his dad or grandfather. 

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Bowen lies on the floor of his room, resisting getting dressed on the morning of Thursday, Sept 24, 2020. While his mom puts in days at various painting sites, Bowen spends many of his days with his dad or grandfather. 

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A silhouetted woman looks away from a set of white curtains.
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After taking a look outside for deer, Samantha Cox lets the curtains fall into place and turns toward her son Bowen’s bedroom on the morning of Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 at the family’s home in Marshfield, Mo. The family has a long day ahead: after getting everybody woken up, Samantha will drop her husband Chris in in Springfield, Mo., so he can leave for a weekend-long work trip. She will then take Bowen to her father’s house in Fordland for the day, so she can paint until the sun drops below the horizon. 

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After taking a look outside for deer, Samantha Cox lets the curtains fall into place and turns toward her son Bowen’s bedroom on the morning of Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 at the family’s home in Marshfield, Mo. The family has a long day ahead: after getting everybody woken up, Samantha will drop her husband Chris in in Springfield, Mo., so he can leave for a weekend-long work trip. She will then take Bowen to her father’s house in Fordland for the day, so she can paint until the sun drops below the horizon. 

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A woman's hands help adjust the sleeve of a child. Behind the child's hand, the woman's shirt says "Love."
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Samantha Cox rolls up her son Bowen’s sleeve, helping him get dressed on the morning of Thursday, Sept 24, 2020, in Marshfield, Mo. That morning, as Bowen rushed around his room gathering toys to take to his grandfather’s, Samantha sat on his bed and laid out his shirt, jeans and socks. Once he was dressed and running out of the room, she picked up that forgotten backpack full of toys and followed him. 

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Samantha Cox rolls up her son Bowen’s sleeve, helping him get dressed on the morning of Thursday, Sept 24, 2020, in Marshfield, Mo. That morning, as Bowen rushed around his room gathering toys to take to his grandfather’s, Samantha sat on his bed and laid out his shirt, jeans and socks. Once he was dressed and running out of the room, she picked up that forgotten backpack full of toys and followed him. 

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A woman lifts a child off the ground in a hug. Behind them, the walls are wood and a pile of toys sits in a corner.
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A long day of painting behind her, Samantha Cox embraces her son Bowen after he jumped into her arms on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 at Samantha’s father’s home in Fordland, Mo. Her new career, while fulfilling, takes her away from home for long stretches of the day — sometimes up to 14 hours. When Samantha is home with Bowen, she said she does her best to be very present with him. “Right now, it’s been like two days and I haven’t seen him,” Samantha said later on that evening. 

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A long day of painting behind her, Samantha Cox embraces her son Bowen after he jumped into her arms on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 at Samantha’s father’s home in Fordland, Mo. Her new career, while fulfilling, takes her away from home for long stretches of the day — sometimes up to 14 hours. When Samantha is home with Bowen, she said she does her best to be very present with him. “Right now, it’s been like two days and I haven’t seen him,” Samantha said later on that evening. 

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A woman holding a lunchbox and a toolbox steps off a short porch. Her face is obscured by a teal hat.
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Samantha Cox steps out of her father’s home just before 7:00 am on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. Today she will finish the mural she has been working on all week, before moving on to another job in Seymore, Mo. and another in Branson, Mo. And then that night, like every night, she will come home to her Bowen. 

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Samantha Cox steps out of her father’s home just before 7:00 am on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. Today she will finish the mural she has been working on all week, before moving on to another job in Seymore, Mo. and another in Branson, Mo. And then that night, like every night, she will come home to her Bowen. 

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© 2023 Tristen Rouse | 417.631.3200 | tristenrousephoto@gmail.com

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