By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
Red-Tailed Creations, a new retail store in the Alpine Mall in Crestline, offers unique, handmade and many one-of-a-kind art, leather and jewelry items. Opened as a collaborative effort between Lyndian Uhler and James Clark, these two have been displaying their art and nature-based items at many festivals, farmers markets and in friends’ stores for several years.
Clark and Uhler are both veterans who, upon meeting, found many interests in common, including their American Indian heritage. They believe this storefront will both offer the community a totally different type of art to see and purchase and give them an outlet for their artistic endeavors.
Uhler collects antlers and other natural items from the forest and incorporates them into her wall hangings and art pieces. She feels that repurposing natural items helps her feel a connection to her Native American heritage by making these items memorials to the animals.
Her art is also a way to heal her mind from her eight years in the Army Military Police, with two tours of combat zone deployments in Bagdad, Iraq and Afghanistan. Having this military connection with Clark, who was in the Army Infantry, is a cathartic experience. Reconnecting with nature, the reasonably priced art they create is both beautiful and functional.
The new store is filled with beautiful jewelry, including hand-painted medallion necklaces and other creative items, many from nature, by Uhler and a variety of leather belts, bags and hand-carved wooden items by Clark.
Some examples of the custom jewelry available at Red-Tailed Creations.
On grand opening day, they had music in the Alpine Mall, played by Braden, which brought some attention to the area, that Friday afternoon. The customers were amazed at the wide range of items, all hand-made, using so many natural items. The shop is filled with a myriad of artistic ideas and eye-appealing merchandise, all locally made.
“We are using our creativity and following our passion and doing those artistic things that set our hearts on fire, with this shop,” said Uhler, who added, “We hope others will enjoy our work.”
Clark, who learned his skills over 20 years ago from his father, began doing his own artwork at age 17 when he inherited his carving tools from his father. He does new leather work, custom leather work and repairs, as well.
“We want to spread happiness through what we create and each item is unique, never an exact duplicate,” Clark said.
An interesting fact in their parallel childhood worlds in different parts of the country is that both of their mothers had rescued a red-tailed hawk while they were children and nursed the birds back to health before releasing them back to nature. The name of their business, Red-Tailed Creations, is derived from those experiences and the fact that they are blending their artistic skills to make this shop for the community. They promise no animals were hurt getting any items for their store.
Red-Tailed Creations is located at 23930 Lake Drive in the Alpine Mall, Unit #106 on the left when entering from the street, in Crestline across from the Crestline post office. They are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Follow them on Instagram @red_tailed_creations to see their newest artistic endeavors.
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