Gaelynn Lea

By: Samantha Cantrall, Communications Specialist

Are you aware of the violinist, Gaelynn Lea? If not, you should be. This woman is a professional musician, expert conversationalist, and motivational speaker all wrapped into one. She hails from Duluth, Minnesota, and she happens to live with a disability called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or Brittle Bone Disease.

I was lucky enough to experience one of her concerts recently, and it blew me away. Some of the people Hammer supports attended as well. Gaelynn was hosted by a local disability arts organization called Upstream Arts, and she played her show at Surly Brewing Company. Before I discuss the concert and artist, let me first commend Surly Brewing for the beautiful space they offered us for free, as part of their nonprofit Monday deal. The mood was set by the space, and the food, beverages, and company could not be beat.

Gaelynn Lea performing at Surly Brewing Co. in Minneapolis.

Gaelynn Lea has been playing violin since she was in fifth grade. She gave a shout-out to her first music teacher, who worked with her to adapt her style of playing, so that she would be able to play the instrument. Her methods may be unconventional due to her disability, but her music sings. The night began with a few Irish fiddle tunes, and then took off into some of her own compositions. Her sound was hauntingly sweet, looping slow and smooth violin riffs on top of one another until the entire hall shook with sound.

After a short intermission, Gaelynn again took the stage, this time as a speaker and activist. In her allotted fifteen minutes, she spoke about her top three advocacy priorities regarding people with disabilities: accessibility, healthcare reform, and art. She implored her audience to pay attention to these issues, as they affect the disability community everywhere. “It has to be part of our consciousness to gain traction,” Gaelynn noted.

Gaelynn also spoke about her ideas of enrichment as a measure of success, rather than personal progress. “Some people cannot measure success in terms of progress, and that’s okay,” she said. “Instead of progress, think: how am I enriching my life and the lives of others?”

When she finished speaking, she played a few more songs. After a standing ovation begging for an encore, she finished her set with a lullaby medley. It was the perfect ending to a lovely evening.

Gaelynn Lea’s 6-track EP.

Gaelynn Lea has released two full length albums and one EP. You can purchase her CDs online. She is originally from Duluth, MN and is touring around the United States and Europe for an entire year with her husband, Paul. She took the year off from teaching, and he took a leave of absence from work to make the trip. I was inspired many times throughout this evening of music, but if I had to choose one main takeaway, it would be to live the life you were dealt, and take pride in that life. Gaelynn certainly embodies that message, and her talent is an extraordinary gift.

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Sarah Casey, who lives at Sumac, is an awesome person. She is an upbeat, thoughtful and hardworking woman who always has a smile on her face. She also happens to be a very talented artist.

I first got to know Sarah several years ago when I began volunteering at Hammer. All of the “Sumac ladies” and I would get together and complete art project after art project. Sarah always took a particular interest in whatever we were creating. Over the years, she and I have visited art exhibits and gone out for fun lunches.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful lady. During a pastels class she took at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts, I saw her creative process in action. I have gained an even better understanding of how much she enjoys looking at art as well as creating art. I just love watching Sarah think about her art and create.

Throughout the last 2 years, I have had the opportunity of working individually with Sarah at my home. She and I spend hours in my studio working with different mediums and mastering new techniques. We began with water colors, and she did an amazing job handling an often difficult medium. Several of her watercolor paintings have been made into Hammer Holiday Art Cards that can be purchased here.

This year, we switched materials and are currently working with acrylic paints. Sarah’s style is amazing and she has such a free flowing use of her brush. Her sense of color is also very unique. She has very clear, thoughtful ideas about what she wants to create and how it should evolve.

Sue at our central office.

Sarah inspires me each time we are together and I feel fortunate that I am lucky to work with such a talented and dedicated artist.

Her work is currently on display at Hammer’s Central office. The next time you are in the building, admire her work.     

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