Kieran's Art

 Lunch at St Jeannete Original artwork and nostalgic poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, recalling my experience of intense software development in the medieval village of St Jeanette nestled along the Route des Villages Perches below the immense limestone cliff called Baou de Saint-Jeannete St Jeanette is a picturesque hillside village near Nice, South France Home to 30 code monkeys in 1992 including yours truly, quite perchance.  Unbeknownst to us ‘twas the dawn of startups before IPO became a buzzword  All we had was a customer spec and 45 days to beta … quitting wasn't heard It was go-go-go six days a week from eight am till six pm with a twist A luxurious two-hour white-table cloth three course lunch... get the gist? Starting with a aioli vegetable soup and rustic Pain aux Céréales bread And Salade Niçoise of tuna, olives and garden-fresh veggies, what a spread My favourite entree, Daube provençale, beef slow cooked in herbs and wine With the house wine flowing, every...

 Bedouin Hospitality   Original artwork and poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, recalling the ancient Bedouin practice that gave shelter to strangers, fed them choice dates with 'qahwa' or coffee, and housed them for 3 days in the ' majlis ' section of the tent In the extreme conditions of the vast Sahara deserts blooms empathy Even strangers given respite and treated with kindness and sympathy Three days and nights before you even ask them their names or business To do anything less is unthinkable - a heinous crime beyond forgiveness The guests are offered coffee, dates and treated with dignity and respect These are unwritten ancestral practices meant to shelter and to protect Somewhere in our rush to embrace modernity we lost our basic humanity We treat our fellow human beings as trash; What inanity! O the insanity!

 Goli Soda   Original artwork and nostalgic poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, inspired by childhood memories of hearing the soda bottles with marble seals being opened to make fresh lime soda There was one distinctive sound that told us we had entered Goa by road It was the marble in the fizzy soda bottle pop with no easy way to reload When full, the pressurized aerated payload held the marble seal secure The marble seal was tamper proof keeping the contents pristine and pure There was no need for a bottle opener, one just pressed down on the marble It popped and out came the soda that was still fizzy, quite simply remarkable The marble made a distinctive 'plink' as it dropped in the chamber of glass This ingenious invention called a Codd-neck soda bottle was truly world-class

 How about a cuppa?   Artwork and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, as an ode to the cup of golden brew It's a wet rainy day, today February 8th 2040, as I put away my paints. My study is warm and cozy, my life blessed. Ain't got no complaints! There's a gentle familiar tap on the door, it's my next door neighbor. I glance at the clock. Oh my, it's 5 pm - time for a familiar flavor! "Wretched weather" he says, as he hangs up his hat, to no one in particular. "Nothing that a good cuppa can't put right, nothing fancy. Just the regular" The tea is just the excuse. He cracks a smile, no words need to be spoken. We've known each other donkeys years, now that she gone he's heartbroken. "How's the painting?", he asks politely, but his eyes tell of a different pain. We talk of the good old times; he lights up reliving our youthful days again. "Another cup?, I ask, knowing we had just gotten started. "You make...

 Ode to Lychee   Original artwork and poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026. This was a study in painting textures. Just when I thought I’d seen it all, along came the lychee Slightly larger than a grape with flesh that is crunchy ‘n juicy Wrapped in a rough reddish skin, it is native to South Asia. Take just one bite to experience a floral citrusy fantasia! For millennia it was the fruit of choice of the Chinese Emperor. A trip to your grocery store is all you now need, dear adventurer  It makes a cool refreshing drink to beat the summer heat I prefer to scarf down a handful fresh ones. Oh, what a treat!!

 Beauty that isn't evident at first Original artwork and pensive poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, inspired by the children's tale of the ugly duckling. Oh how I cringe each time I hear it being callously being said Someone has a face that only a mother can love. All I see is red Just because someone is different doesn't mean they are inferior Remember the beauty we first see is only skin deep, the exterior! And that kind of beauty doesn't translate to being a good person The kind who sees from the heart to be with you when things worsen You feel the presence of that true friend across time and space. If you find such a person then you've found a true font of grace!