Kevin Callahan's Studio: Three Years After Loss

Artist Kevin Callahan, based in Oakland, California, reflects on his studio practice three years after losing his partner of 39 years and relocating from San Jose. After his partner's sudden death in November 2019, Callahan sold their San Jose home of 33 years and moved to the Temescal area of Oakland, where he now works in a smaller on-site studio. He describes his paintings and drawings as "little jewels" due to the reduced space. Callahan starts his days at 9am with NPR, then shifts to music from a personal playlist. He engages with local arts organizations NIAD in Richmond and Kala Art Institute in Berkeley. His favorite local museum is the Oakland Museum, and he works with oil paints and Sennelier's shellac-based inks. He feeds pistachios to neighborhood crows and jays, finding relaxation in their company. Despite the challenges, he finds many reasons to smile.