Kieran's Art

 What are your insurmountable mountains?   Artwork and original pensive poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, dedicated to Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary It was the last frontier. Tall. Majestic. Unconquered. The so-called 'Third Pole' Til a chilly morn in 1953, when a Kiwi beekeeper and his Sherpa reached their goal. Tenzing Norgay more than a porter, was an elite mountaineer vital to the mission Ignored by the press but duly acknowledged by Edmund Hillary, by his own admission The duo that summited the world's highest peak, beating all odds, became soulmates Edmund Hillary founded the Himalaya Trust to fight poverty in these remote straits "It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves", said Edmund, rather matter-of-factly. Have you paused to think what might be your insurmountable mountains? Carpe diem. Exactly!

 The Paradox of Palm Sunday   Original artwork and pensive poem on Palm Sunday by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026 The adoring crowds on Palm Sunday were hoarse shouting "Hosannah, Hail the Messiah" Within just a few days the fickle crowd rejected Jesus as an outcast and a pariah Let's consider for a moment, the reason why they would so quickly change their attitude… It comes down to false expectations, when viewed through the narrow lense of servitude They were expecting a repeat of King David defeating their enemies to restore their pride Jesus was the God-send to liberate them from the  Roman Empire, they mused starry-eyed Gives us pause to think about our own relationships - are we guilty of being transactional? True friendship that seeks no personal gain is rare to find in a world that's reactional

 Spring Garden Comes Alive    Original artwork and ode by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026 Today was another wonderful sunny Bay Area morning in spring The neighborhood cat perched on it’s throne doing its thing  The bougainvillea is on fire with several multihued bouquets of blooms The less you water them the more flowers they put out, one assumes! Such a joy seeing the blackberry patch come alive with new growth.  Last year’s cane will fruit soon, the new canes later .. gotta love ‘em both I had to prune back most of  Azorean passion fruit vine that had run amuck. It’s produces the most delicious fruit for mouthwatering mousse … what luck 😊

 Wholly Mackerel … Ode to the Bangda   Original artwork and ode by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, reminiscing about fresh Bangda seasoned with fiery Recheado masala seasoned with Tirphal or Teppal peppercorn that gives a distinct woody, citrusy aroma. The tanginess comes from dry Kokum skins of the Mangosteen that also imparts a deep pinkish hue and a sharp, clean tang. The fish is coated in Rava or rough semolina made from durum wheat and then shallow fried making the quintessential treat for Goans The Konkan Mackerel in many ways encapsulates the ethos of the Goan culture and identity It's kin the Indian Mackerel is ubiquitous but the Konkan variety is its own entity Nutrient-rich plankton-dense waters off the West Coast account for its high oil content Making it perfect for the fiery red Recheado regional marinade, like it was always meant Mile-long Rampani nets are laid by 30 or 40 fishermen working with a scouter in the deep Who keenly tracks the movement of shoals on mackere...

Optical Illusion _Artwork and original ode to the creative process of Optical Illusions by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, as I continue to explore different art forms_ Truth be told sometimes what you see is not always what you get! Our brain uses heuristics to quickly decide what is and isn’t a threat. Optical illusions are the ultimate hack on the human brain Making it jump to quick conclusion sans the analytical pain Seeing from a wrong perspective, the brain gets hoodwinked! Into false assumptions to make sense of what seems indistinct The same image from different perspective reveals the catch. Showing brains wired for quick judgement can result in a mismatch!   Footnote : Here is a video of the same artwork from different perspectives  

 Feast of the Annunciation   Original artwork and ode to the most Blessed Virgin Mary on March/25th, the feast of the Annunciation, by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026 Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word Thus unfolded quietly the Story of Salvation through a humble maiden as yet unheard. The Holy Spirit will come upon you and your son will be the Son of God That her cousin Elizabeth, barren and old, was with child left her overawed! That unshakable faith would be tested in pain, suffering and loss. She remained steadfast in her word, standing at the foot of the cross! Now she reigns as the Queen of Heaven, beloved mother of all of humanity. Ready to intercede for all God’s children not just those of Christianity!

Coffee wash artwork   Original artwork and ode to gourmet coffee by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, using only instant coffee as a stain. My first attempt is at https://kieranart.blogspot.com/2025/05/coffee.html I was inspired to try once more, artwork using coffee wash. The recommended stain is instant coffee for a touch of panache For artwork in monochrome, go easy on details, keep it starker. Coffee stains become lighter when dry, so paint it darker! By varying the amount of water, one can change the viscosity. By using successive light washes one can vary the luminosity.  The scene is a master chef savoring une tasse de café gourmet Raising up the cup of brew ever so slightly to relish the bouquet À la tienne!

 The Genius of the Clumsy Mourning Dove   Original artwork and ode to the Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, celebrating the counterintuitive nesting strategy that turns out to be quite ingenious At first blush, the nests of mourning doves seem reckless, an epic disaster!  Built carelessly with just a few twigs in three or four days, if not faster😳 An architect's nightmare, this minimalist approach is actually quite ingenious! The time and energy the Golden Eagle wastes on a nest for one egg is strenuous The dove cleverly uses that time to lay a pair of eggs that hatch in a fortnight. If disaster strikes, as it may, they simply repeat the cycle rather than sit tight. The squabs are fed with crop milk from the parents, thus don't rely on grubs or insects While most birds lay only one set of eggs each year, doves often lay upto six sets. In a game of chance, this brilliant strategy of many eggs yields a treasure trove. Perfection is overrated, m...

 Trompe-l'œil   Original artwork and poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, as I continue to explore light and shadow Trompe-l'œil in French means to fool the eye with an illusion of a 3D object Painted on a flat surface it uses light, shadow and perspective for the effect In my first crack at this, I painted a cornucopia of garden fresh ripe tomatoes From red Romas that make delicious paste to a bunch of cherries, anything goes I love the heirloom Purple Cherokee, a brandywine tomato that's rich in flavor First a burst of sweetness followed by an earthy smokiness, delicious to savor The Green Zebra as delightful to see as it to taste with the right bit of tartness When framed in a box these tomatoes seem to hang in balance in animated sharpness

 St Joseph - Patron of Fathers and Workers   Original stained-glass style artwork and ode to St Joseph on his feast day by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, inspired by the stained glass window at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Moore Haven, Venice, Florida. This artwork was a no brainer since Joseph is my middle name and I turn to St Joseph all the time for inspiration. Today is the Feast day of St Joseph, a man who did his duty quietly and cheerfully. From the house of King David, he is steadfast in his dedication to the Holy Family!   Chosen by God to guard and nurture the Holy Family on Earth, he was a carpenter by trade Time and again he set aside his plans, hearing God's word in dreams he simply obeyed   The epitome of a just, kind and merciful man, to life's hardships he was no stranger A model for all fathers today who spare no effort to keep their family safe from danger   His actions speak loudest yet like so many quiet workers not much is written or said Her...

 A Study in Transparency and Opacity   Original painting and ode by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, as I continue to study glass in all its intricacies Objects of clear glass bend light, subtly refracting and even distorting it. Now add to it curvature with a slight tint and just for fun make it sunlit 😅 Add water for yet another dimension to the composition, making it interesting While we're at it, throw in a juicy peach (that's if you are still listening)😳 Juxtapose it with an opaque green decanter that casts a stately graded shadow 🤭 It glints in the sunlit and gently reflects the colors with a soft muted glow I'm sure there are some interesting interactions at play that I may have missed It started off as a study in transparency and opacity that I just couldn't resist

 Loose floral bouquet   Original watercolor and ode to Impressionism by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, inspired by the idea of loose painting focused on mood not details Masters of oil and acrylics left us breathtaking floral artwork - loose and incomplete. This inspired me to employ a tonal background that made loose flowers pop off the sheet The brushstrokes are visually broken allowing the minds eye to complete the picture Art’s a strange bedfellow, everyone has an opinion maybe appreciation, maybe stricture! Monet, no less, was a pioneer to venture down this road less traveled, less is more Critics used to highly refined photographic realism, were quick to scorn, mock and abhor But Monet kept painting vague shapes without sharp edges that audiences just adored It's very looseness struck a deep chord, revealing something new when explored

 The Crab You Never Knew Watercolor and original whimsical poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, as I explore dry on wet painting technique Never ever let someone else write your story.. think of crabs and you think of cancer If I were to write my autobiography you would have learned that I am heck of a dancer   We come out to play under the silver moon and dance to the sound of rolling of the tide A million of us in a spontaneous celebration of life doing a merry lil jig side-by-side   It's such an eye-popping scene, if you know what I mean ... ha ha, that's a Crab Dad joke You’ll never seen a crab crossing a road, we use the sidewalk unlike that ole chicken bloke   Our favorite sport is baseball, but that's because we are the world's best pinch-hitters Small wonder that our English cousins like their fish and chips with a shot of bitters   If you think you've got relatives that are weird, wait till I tell you about one of mine My Polynesian cousin loves to climb ...

 La Dolce Vita Original watercolor artwork and uplifting poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, inspired by a painting technique using soap bubbles that I tried for the first time Oh how easy it is to become jaded, lost in the endless cycle of war. Climate change, job insecurity, widening gap of the rich and the poor! Bad news travels faster than good, and that's the story the media tells. You rarely hear stories of good Samaritans - such a tale never sells! Truth be told, the magic of random acts of selfless kindess is surreal Good ole Pablo Picasso famously said, "Everything you imagine is real" So don't let the barrage of negativity, divisiveness and hate get you down. Spread smile and some cheer, lend an open ear and pass some goodness around

 My First Acrylic Artwork Original artwork and acrylic on canvas painting by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, my first work in Acrylics which was quite a change from the one-a-day watercolor I am used to, but fun all the same Br Mickey had no idea what he was getting me into when we met last week I helped the acclaimed artist paint a mural as I soaked in his technique Acrylics and Watercolors are distinct as cheese from chalk, I acknowledge  Tis said, true wisdom lies in recognizing the limits of one's own knowledge I learned the importance of putting primer on the canvas and letting it dry Then slowly adding color wash layer by layer till it matches the mind's eye Excepting that it never really does - so one sorta improvises as one goes along Unlearning what one once held to be true, replacing it with what doesn't go wrong Acrylics are way more forgiving that watecolors as one can paint light over dark Smoothing out the uneven borders or blotting out unsightly smudges is quite a...

 Rustic life in Dhoros   Original artwork and poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, remembering our 2017 holiday The charming village of Dhoros tucked in the quaint Trodoos mountain range Was our inspired holiday destination for two odd weeks of heavenly change Of traditional Cypriot life surrounded by vineyards a thousand years old Narrow winding cobbled streets with old stone houses and of stories untold The 600-year-old Church of Panagia Galaktotrofousasv is their joy and pride So too breathtaking views of almond orchards and vineyards along the hillside We arived shortly after the grape harvest to find raisins drying in the sun This region makes Camandaria, the world famous dessert wine loved by everyone  But it’s the age-old traditional hospitality that grips and stirs your soul When you stop by the local kafeneio for a glass of Zivania to make you whole At dusk all the villagers comes to the town square to intermingle and socialize How about backgammon over coffee or g...

 Adrift no longer... Loose watercolor painting and short poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, today I just felt like something quick and breezy If at times you find yourself treading deep water, seemingly adrift at sea Stop worrying about things out of your control; take baby steps to be free A rudderless boat left to the whims of the currents will end in a quagmire Weigh your options 'n take decisive action; course correct if it misfires

 Lessons of a Queen Conch   Original artwork and pensive ode to the Queen Conch by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, inspired by how a insignificant gastropod can be the architect of such a breath-taking handiwork Behold the humble conch, an exquisite work of art, a true labor of love. leaves you in awe of the conch, its humble creator and a loving God above! The conch made of calcium carbonate  grows in spirals - how very prescient The pinkish hues comes from a diet of sea grass which seems quite sufficient Gastropods are but large sea snails that continually grow along with the shell. Once inside, it shuts the operculum, a claw-like door, for it in safety to dwell As a team leader one would be quite mad to select a snail as an artist And in the hands of our loving Heavenly Creator this unlikely snail is stardust If God made a snail to do such marvels, stop and think what he made you to do? Generously endowed with time, intelligence and a freewill - he left it up to you!

 Ode to the Coast Redwoods of California Original artwork of a hillside cabin surrounded by Redwoods and an original ode by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, inspired by the gargantuan Sequoia sempervirens native to California, we have 3 of these giants in our backyard The Coast Sequoia Redwoods are giants of the forest, standing over 300 feet tall A marvel of nature that started life around the time of Julius Caesar's footfall Their 12-inch thick reddish fibrous bark is insect, disease and fire resistant Cyclical forest fires burn everything, trigger sprouting of cones into existence The new seedlings grow only in high fire ash content too toxic for competing trees Providing a headstart over the competition; redwoods can drink water from the breeze  But here's the most surprsing part of these giants - they grow only in clusters With shallow intertwining roots less than two meters deep they become blockbusters

 Mural of Love and Hope Short video of the completed mural Mural by Br Mickey and original ode by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, inspired by the chance to work side by side with him on a 12'x7' mural at St Simon's Catholic Church, Los Altos, California as part of a 3-day Lenten retreat. Brother Mickey O’Neill McGrath, OSFS, an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales, is an award-winning artist, author, and storyteller. You can see his works at https://www.bromickeymcgrath.com/   Br Mickey holding my painting I holding his book     It's not very often that a renowned artist comes to town, but miracles do happen, you know I got a one-in-a-million chance to work side by side with Br Mickey who put on quite a show He has the unique gift of bringing together communities through the medium of public art Large colorful murals with local symbols and colours that come straight from the heart For over 30 years, his magic has rejuvenated all sorts of people in different communities The brok...

 My unlikely foray into art   Original artwork and autobiographical poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026, dedicated to my mentor Tushar Manohar Shetty who believes everyone has innate artistic talents but few develop them. His elegant solution is one-art-a-day just for the sheer joy of it As I was strolling through a flea market one dappled Saturday morn A beguiling siren call came from a charming paint box dented and worn It was the assortment of dried paint tubes that really clinched it for me Tubes of Payne’s Grey, Quinacridone Rose, Phthalo Green - quaint to see Curious, I picked up the paints as if listening to their secret tales I spied paint brushes in chamois leather and pondered the details  ‘My wife was an artist’, he said wistfully, ‘a damn good one too! It’s yours if you want it, something tells me it was meant for you’ Suddenly the sage words of my mentor flashed through my mind ‘All are artists, start painting one-a-day, ‘n your groove you’ll find’ ‘Don’t overt...