Foray into Art

By Kieran

 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 overthink it’, he said, ‘Live in the moment, go with the flow.
With the good don’t get too high, with the bad don’t get too low’

This sparked my artistic journey, and I got professional supplies
Cold pressed cotton paper, best paints and brushes - no compromise

My journey of discovery has been one heck of a fun ride, that for sure!
The artwork is sacrosanct and I try different techniques as per my pleasure

To stay true to myself, I invariably paint only what resonates with me
And occasionally I throw together an ode or poem, if it catches my fancy

Comments

Anonymous said…
Who is Tushar? (WhatsApp comment from a very dear relative in Toronto, Canada)
March 1, 2026 at 7:36 PM
Kieran said…
Tushar Manohar Shetty is a Mumbai-based architect by profession and a watercolor lover by passion. You can check out his work at https://www.facebook.com/tushar.m.shetty I got to know him personally through the Facebook Group called Memories of Poona in September 2023 - when we hosted a lunch meting of artists in Pune. He came by DQ just to participate in the meeting and gave a very inspirational speech that stayed with me. - Kieran
March 1, 2026 at 7:40 PM
Anonymous said…
Sharing your journey through your daily offerings, painting and word, has been an enormous privilege...thank you, dearest Kieran...God bestows the power of communication to many and it is their choice to use the gift or not...God, the supreme artist and creator, will be as delighted, I believe! 🙏🏼♥️😍🤗 (WhatsApp comment from a very dear cousin in Bangalore)
March 5, 2026 at 5:54 PM
Kieran said…
All honor, praise and glory to our good and gracious Triune God! Glory, Alleluia!!

So glad to have you on my art journey, dearest Naomi - Kieran
March 5, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Anonymous said…
Love these daily offerings (WhatsApp comment from a local artistic friend who appreciates my artwork)
March 5, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Kieran said…
Thanks Chief! You’re one (and probably only one) of my steadfast patrons - Kieran
March 5, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Anonymous said…
You need only one patron: yourself. That is whom this is for. We just are fortunate to be able to share it. (Reply to above comment)
March 5, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Kieran said…
True dat. The enjoyment I get from the creative effort is all that I need. Everything else is gravy - Kieran
March 5, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Anonymous said…
What a journey Kieran? By the way who is Tushar Shetty? Did he teach you initially? Is he a famous water color painter? chamois leather brush_ what is this? is it a brush used for cleaning leather? i Thought the best brushes were from squirrel hair, ox hair or sable hair. Please correct me. Cold pressed cotton paper-wow is it hand made? is it more than the normal weight in gms? GSM I mean. You really have a knack for choosing subjects ,painting them well and choosing the right words. (WhatsApp comment from a dear childhood school friend in Pune)
March 5, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Kieran said…
Tushar Manohar Shetty is a Mumbai-based architect by profession and a watercolor lover by passion. You can check out his work at https://www.facebook.com/tushar.m.shetty I got to know him personally through the Facebook Group called Memories of Poona in September 2023 - when we hosted a lunch meting of artists in Pune. He came by DQ just to participate in the meeting and gave a very insprational speech that stayed with me.


The chamois leather is a soft premium leather case in which she kept her treasured paint brushes

The 100% cotton cold pressed paper is 300 GSM, quite absorbent so you cqn use multiple coats including a suitable undercoat to either reflect the actual color or mute it - Kieran
March 5, 2026 at 6:17 PM
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