Kevin Callahan, an artist from Oakland, California, reflects on three years since the loss of his lifelong partner. His studio space, though smaller, has become a sanctuary where he feeds local birds and creates 'little jewels' in oils and inks.

In San Jose, Callahan had ample workspace, but after his partner’s unexpected passing, he moved to Oakland's Temescal area. The reduced size of his work reflects the compact studio space, yet brings him joy through daily interactions with nature and art.

‘I feed pistachios to neighborhood crows and jays,’ Callahan notes fondly. ‘It’s great.’ His routine involves early mornings spent with NPR and music before he picks up his brushes. Despite the loss, Callahan finds many reasons to smile these days, appreciating the freedom of his own home studio.

The Oakland Museum and San Francisco offer him local inspiration, but it is the simple pleasures like feeding birds that bring him comfort. ‘It has been an adjustment, but I find that it is working for me,’ he says.