Silicon Valley Open Studios

About Kevin John Callahan

I am originally from Iowa. Both of my parents came from farming backgrounds and I lived on a farm from age 2 to 12. That experience finds its way into some of the images I create.

I like drawing, printmaking and painting. My earliest influences were European artists, as I participated in a quarter abroad program in college (UW-River Falls) and spent those three months traveling Europe studying German Expressionism. In the late 1980’s I lived for a year in Singapore, where I gained a fondness for Chinese and Japanese inks.

An opportunity in 1984 lead me from Minneapolis to Santa Cruz and my veteran background (Navy) helped me secure a job with the Social Security Administration. I continued to draw, paint and make prints while working, but did stop for years at a time when promotions required me to concentrate on new and complex work assignments. I am now retired.

After several years of drawing in my garage, I went looking for a studio so I could get back into oil painting and printmaking. I moved into my Citadel studio this past August. I hope you enjoy your visit to my studio.