The Blue Sea Artisans Gallery’s featured artist for November is vintage jewelry artist Cathie Ann Amelotte.
Amelotte, originally from Minnetonka, Minn., has lived in the Hawaiian Islands for more than 40 years and is dedicated to the Kailua-Kona community she loves. Because of this, one may often see her work displayed at silent auctions that support nonprofit organizations in Hawaii. She donates items annually to such organizations as the Arc of Kona and the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation.
Amelotte’s unique jewelry creations are a reflection of spending many years in the tropical setting and the fashion business. Having owned a hair salon and private label cosmetic line, she has continually surrounded herself with the brilliance of color. Learning that the word “bead” derives from the Anglo-Saxon bebe, meaning prayer, aligns with her spiritual journey as she believes that beauty is the true language of the divine, she said.
For as long as she can remember, Amelotte has loved aged and old things, she said. Her jewelry creations contain components of advanced age with a vintage slant, a collection of repurposed, previously loved jewelry that she has collected from various parts of the world. The combination of aged and revived beads gives her jewelry a blend of the old and new. Some of her work sparks awareness as with her HOPE and 602 collections. Currently, Amelotte is adding vintage fabric to her designs with ornamental holiday and island themed wreaths. They are lightweight, containing vintage crystals and shells.
The gallery will host a featured artist’s reception for Amelotte from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the gallery located at the Kona International Market, 74-5533 Luhia St., north side of the Makai building. A drawing will be held at the gallery and on its Facebook page for a necklace and earring set containing vintage cut glass and sapphires.
The gallery is open from from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call at 329-8000.