Island Treasures: The Blue Sea Artisans Art Gallery—Kailua-Kona
By Anais Gude
In May 2014, The Blue Sea Artisans Gallery finally became the true cooperative gallery of artists that Teresea Boswell had envisioned when she first opened the space in 2009. Featuring 17 different local artists, one may feel overwhelmed by the desire to see everything at once.
Your eye may be drawn to the shiny case housing handmade beads and vintage jewelry, the vibrant photographs of lava fields, the dozens of watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings hanging on every inch (and both sides!) of the bamboo wall dividers, or your fingers may take charge and reach for a soft, crocheted lei.
Teresea confirms with a laugh, “We’ve got a little bit of everything!”
The artists mostly capture the tropical island world in their creations, and some even make use of its gifts in their craft. Teresea is the original sand artist, creating a variety of pieces such as lamps and bowls that have been adorned with sand, shells, and sea glass. She also uses leaf imprints in her pottery pieces, as does Sue Mailander in her mesmerizing collage works of woodcut prints, stitching, and beads. Collie Will has even painted entire works with different brews of Kona coffee.
The cooperative consists of nine core artists as well as eight guest artists, all of whom were accepted to the gallery by a vote. There are no employees at the Gallery, so all of the artists equally share the tasks required to keep the gallery running. Teresea is pleased with the group of people she works with, stating, “We’ve really become a nice little hui [group].”
Every month, Blue Sea Artisans selects one artist to feature. A reception is open to the public, allowing those interested to come see the artist’s work and talk story. Additionally, the gallery hosts workshops and classes, giving people “an opportunity to get together and have fun,” says Teresea.
They also host a semi-annual art and music festival open to all artists, crafters, and musicians. The fifth annual Fall Art and Music Festival is scheduled for Saturday, November 22 at the Kona International Market.
The Blue Sea Artisans Gallery may be looking to add one more artist to the family. Teresea explains with a grin as she looks around the gallery, “We can’t take any more wall artists because we’re out of wall space…obviously,” but they may consider welcoming a glass or dimensional artist. This would bump their number of artists to 18, expanding their selection of arts and fine crafts even further for all to view, appreciate, and purchase.
The Blue Sea Artisans
Kona International Market
74-5533 Luhia Street, Kailua-Kona
808.329.8000
Facebook.com/TheBlueSeaArtisans
