Gracia Hemans-Martin is an East Hartford artisan who is known to many in the community as “The Leather Genie.”
She grew up in Jamaica and was first introduced to leather crafting at an early age. By 14, she could make a leather shoe from scratch.
“I like when people walk in the door and they ask me to make something I’ve never made before,” Hemans-Martin said.
She came to the United States with her family in the early 2000s and worked at a local leather supply shop in East Hartford until she noticed a “for rent” sign nearby.
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“I'm just going to jump in the deep end,” Hemans-Martin said. “So, if I’m not going to drown, I better learn how to swim.”
Since opening her doors in 2006, Grassillini Creations has become a fixture in the East Hartford community and beyond.
She sells handmade leather belts, bags, wallets and custom creations.
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“It’s been good, I can’t complain,” said Hemans-Martin. “I genuinely love what I do.”
Hemans-Martin hosts a monthly leather crafting series at Grassillini Creations and hopes to launch a crafting workshop for kids in the future.
