Kieran's Art

Unforgettable Rabbit Stew Loose watercolour of a rabbit and an original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, recounting my first encounter with a French delicacy Let me take you back to 1996, the South of France and my very dear friend Manu Our farewell dinner after wrapping up a year-long project, time to say adieu From the get-go, we got on famously and now it was time for us to go on our way His wife decided to surprise us with a French delicacy that I remember to this day  'Lapin aux pruneeaux' is a traditional French dish unlike anything you've ever seen A French 'terroir' of a rabbit stewed in prunes mixed with spices, it's haute cuisine Being the guest of honour, they asked me to serve myself first, so I lifted the lid  Staring at me was a stewed rabbit with doleful eyes that seemed to say, 'Et tu, kid?' Mais oui monsieur, on any other day, a sight like this would have thrown me off my game Not today, I didn't bat an eyelid. I just kept going on...

 Ode to the 🌶️ Original Whimsical watercolour painting and poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025 Try as hard as you will, you won't find a more impactful spice    It’s everywhere in foods, medicine and festivals to be precise     Smoky? Earthy? Mild? Hot? There is a chilli that is just right!!   Without it kimchi, salsa, and curry wouldn’t have the same bite     We munch, sautee, pickle, dry and stuff chillies to suit our needs   Birds can’t taste it, so they happily eat it and spread the seeds     Capsaicin in chillies triggers a pain reaction in your brain. Releasing endorphins and dopamine to make you feel good again!

 Fishing in Marblehead   Artwork and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, recalling my 1994 fishing trip with a seasoned fisherman in the cold waters of Marblehead, MA As I recall, 'twas a cold, wintry evening at the Marblehead, MA, docks   The tide was just rolling in; the seagulls were gathering on the rocks     There was a distinct excitement amongst the fishermen setting out to sea   Going about their business like poker players, just another day at the quay      But you could sense they were on a mission; there was no time to waste   Great shoals of seafish were to be had, but one had to move with haste     My host, a seasoned fisherman, knew where to drop anchor and throw the line   And within seconds, we could feel a sharp tug; A chill went down my spine     Back and forth we went, man versus fish in a pattern of pumping and reeling.   A masterclass in patience; 'twas going to be a long fight, ...

  Fauvism   Original watercolour and poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, to explore a splash of random colours Today for some reason, I felt a sudden urge to set my art world on fire   No more muted colours or strict rules, Nah! Too boring; Not my desire     The composition arranged itself; if you can imagine it then it’s true!    Who knows if the cat is staring at Spidey or turning its back on you?     What is in the bottles? Or have the contents long since been consumed?   As for the colours, they flow as if by accident. No preset rules presumed     Fauvism lets the viewer decide how to interpret the artwork. Everything’s game   Two people looking at it, might come up with their own story; 'tis never the same

 Sea Tides   Original loose water colour and poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, on A3 hand pressed 300g paper, inspired by the innumerable beachwalks that have rejuvenated my soul 'Tis said that neither time nor tide wait for man, as King Canute the Great found out   Declaring, "Worthless is the power of kings, only the power of God is supreme, no doubt"     Tides caused by Earth's rotation and the pull of the Sun and Moon play out like clockwork   Without it, the Intertidal ecosystems would be thrown out of whack; nature would go berserk     Highly specialised organisms like crabs, barnacles, mussels, and sea anemones would perish   No shorebirds to feed during two daily low tides, no high tide oxygen and nutrients to relish     But for me, nothing like walking barefoot as waves caress the seashore, gently tingling my toes   The sound of the water lapping washes away the blues; Learn to enjoy life with its ebb and flow

 Cashews Original artwork and poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, celebrating the importance of the Cashew tree now synonymous with Goa and its culture Think of Cashews, and memories of Goa soon come flooding, and with good reason The Portuguese introduced the cashew to control landslides in the monsoon season   Before long, this hardy tree rapidly spread throughout the surrounding region The charms of fiery Cashew Feni, made from the cashew apple juice, are legion   The name probably comes from the Sanskrit 'phena', which describes the froth Feni now has a GI tag to prevent copycats, making Feni a marketing juggernaut   The kidney cashew nut is unique, being the only seed to grow outside the apple Eaten roasted, or blended into a delicious curry it is a a staple

Hiking the Black Mountain Trails Loose watercolour painting and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, a shout out to the myriad hiking trails in my neck of the woods A short drive from the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley is a hiker's paradise   A thousand hiking trails kissed by rolling fog, perfect for outdoorsy exercise     On one side, is the expansive Pacific Ocean that extends halfway round the globe   On the other side, sweeping vistas of San Francisco Bay; (hmmm not for an agoraphobe)     For the rest of us, these are groomed trails that rise and dip with the undulating hills   Far away from the maddening crowd, you feast on the breathtaking views 'n get the chills     Thousands of wildflowers abuzz with native butterflies; picture postcard perfect vision   You're never lost, the AllTrails app helps you locate your position with pinpoint precision      It behooves you wear proper SFP clothing with a proper...

 Where have all the mangroves gone?   Loose watercolor of a riverbank and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, saddened by the marauding of Goa’s mangroves in the name of development Something’s amiss! Gone are the mangroves, gone too are the fish!   So too the stork-billed Kingfisher dive bombing... Oh, how I wish      It all started with the big lie about mosquitoes in the mangroves   Get rid of the mangroves, and voila! Tourists will come in droves     Our ancestors knew the mangroves were essential for biodiversity    To view them as a nuisance is an abomination, sheer perversity      These waters used to be crystal clear, now it's muddy red with erosion   With no fish to be found, the wildlife soon experienced an implosion      Gone are Shevtto mullet - they no longer come to shelter and breed   There are no shrimps, crabs or catfish - all gone due to man’s greed     The...

 Quo Vadis, Fontainhas, Goa Loose watercolor and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, lamenting the tragedy befalling once magical Fontainhas, Panjim, Goa Bairro das Fontainhas in Panjim, Goa, was once a quaint Latin Quarter   With a magical, ineffable ambience that transcends brick and mortar     With brightly painted houses in hues of pastel blue, green, and yellow   These well-preserved ancestral Portuguese homes seem quite mellow     The quaint name springs from “Fonte Phoenix”, a perennial spring of yore   But tragically all’s not well in this slice of Paradise, sadly not anymore     Today hordes of selfie-seeking tourists stampede through like bulls of Pamplona   Each seeking the perfect photo, posing like they are an Adonis or a Prima Donna     Gone with the wind, are common sense, respect for private property and even privacy    Welcome to the gaudy world of instant gratification, modern day versio...

 Wisdom of the Bodhi Tree   Loose watercolour painting and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, inspired by conversations I've been having with my classmates prior to the Golden Jubilee of our graduation from High School.   In all the hustle and bustle, we are too busy chasing mirages and shadows  Nose to the grinding wheel, we have no time to dream big or paint rainbows   If it feels like there's no way out of the endless rat race, consider this …   The wisdom of the Bodhi tree, 'tis your ticket to get a taste of heavenly bliss   Consider the old man who plants and nutures a tree, expecting zilch in return   Save that some stranger may in future enjoy its shade, is his only concern     That my friends is enlightenment, 'tis humanity rising to its highest calling   Now imagine such random act of senseless kindness suddenly start snowballing     What a wonderful world this would be …   That my friends, is the Wi...

 Siesta Time   Loose watercolor and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, inspired by the practice of afternoon siestas in Goa, it's not laziness but good science. It's siesta time along Mandovi's banks, even nature understands. The wind has died down, not a single reed stirs in these wetlands.   After a sumptuous lunch of fish and rice, the old man snores in his bed.   His lady sensing the quietude, enjoys sewing with her needle and thread     These power naps on languid days boost the mood and help reduce stress    Cortisol levels plunge, the pulse slows down, and the blues soon evanescence     Our ancestors in Goa did just this, sadly now ' susegado ' has become a cliche    Maybe they took a cue from Mother Nature and rested 'fore the evening soiree

 Pastels   Whimsical painting and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, as I continue to explore wet on wet painting. Pastel colours by design are light and breezy, No harsh tones, just something nice and easy.   Light pinks are said to bring a touch of femininity. An ethereal feeling of romance and even sanguinity.     Pastel lavenders suggest calmness and spirituality,    Lofty mountains gently remind us of our mortality.      But fear not, pastel yellows bring a jolt of cheer,   A sign of new life amidst a backdrop that’s austere.     What would life be without pastels? A lot duller   So tell me, what is your favourite pastel colour?

 The Red Fox Watercolor artwork and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, inspired by artwork seen on Pinterest When one thinks 'fox', one undoubtedly associates traits of guile and cunning   In a world of the survival of the fittest, foxy street smarts are forthcoming     In Japanese folklore, the wise kitune was the messenger of the Goddess of Rice   With age and wisdom, it grew more cunning and more tails - nine to be precise     Reynard the Fox, a satirical Medieval creature, outwitted the proud and mighty   Seemingly weak and insignificant, it revealed the real truth of who was flighty     None more crafty than the brilliant Field Marshall Rommel - dubbed the Desert Fox   Who outwitted Allied Forces in North Africa by conjuring tactics out of the box.

 Rabbit Artwork and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, inspired by a wildlife photo that captured backlight ears A rabbit is oft viewed either as cute and cuddly or a pesky pest   But in the circle of life, it is a keystone link for all the rest      Its teeth are constantly growing, forcing it to endlessly nibble and chew   And boy does it breed, well like rabbits; being a favourite on many a menu      With large eyes it has 360-degree vision to help avoid trouble   And oversized hind legs to hightail it to safety on the double     Small wonder then that rabbits are a universal symbol of fertility   For my money it is so nimble , it could also be a symbol of mobility

 Open Sea   Artwork and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025, inspired by artwork on Social Media The seas whisper constantly, enticing us to lift anchor and set sail To blaze a new path carved by the sea breeze and yet to leave no trail   To see whales patrol the coasts, ginormous gentle giants returning home Effortlessly breaching the surface, flipping on their backs saying shalom     Nothing ventured, nothing gained - it’s just you and the endless sea   Each day is a unique adventure of jibing and tacking; C’est la vie!     Ahoy matey, what are you waiting for? Unmoor yourself from the quayside   You’ll never know what adventure awaits you but you know that you tried