My infatuation with Phoenix Home and Garden magazine began in 1998 when I moved to Arizona from New Mexico. I was mesmerized by the homes in the pages. Shortly after moving to Phoenix, I began working for Pleasantries, a home décor store in North Scottsdale. It was there I had my first encounter with Phoenix Home and Garden, styling for a few ads and decorating a table at one of the homes on the Phoenix Home and Garden tour. In 1999, I started freelancing at Earth and Images, which was located in the Old Scottsdale Design Center and also the location of where the Masters of the Southwest was held. The weekend prior to these events, we would move everything into the hall and completely rearrange the showroom. Looking back, I have such fond memories of those days when I could handle the physical work and display was my art form. Hundreds of people would come through that evening offering high praise and admiration. It was rewarding to receive feedback for our hard work. It was our night to shine.

In 2007, I ended up purchasing Earth and Images and until 2015 when we later relocated to Old Town Scottsdale, we continued in this rhythm of preparing for the Masters of Southwest event. Not only was there growth for me in artistic expression, but I also had the satisfaction of my ownership of the business. My knowledge of the people in the industry grew, the hard work individuals sustained each year, and I started to understand with a new appreciation how honored those chosen as Masters of the Southwest were. My anticipation and excitement for the event grew each year.

As the years went by, I continued to pour over the Phoenix Home and Garden issues and would observe which of our retail items were in photographs. I often wondered what it took to get published and what that would feel like. In 2010, the economy been negatively affecting everyone, especially retail. I decided to go to the American Institute of Interior Design and receive my certification in Interior Design. In 2012, I changed my focus from retail to design and put my education to work. In retrospect, it was great timing to make a change, as I felt ready to create designs of my own. My first project was a commercial lobby renovation, the next was 32 rooms FF & E at the Franciscan Renewal Center, then colorizing three models at the Rim Club in Payson, and eventually, my first residential remodel. Things took off from there, and by the fall of 2016 my first new build project was a 13 page feature in Phoenix Home and Garden, as well as one of the homes featured on their tour that year.

Since then, my team has grown, and we have been working like crazy ever since. We are consistently striving to improve our processes, and to-date, we have over 50 projects completed, and are now a team of six. I think it goes without saying I absolutely love what I do and just want to keep doing more and more. We have been fortunate enough to be published in a couple more features in Phoenix Home and Garden issues and another home tour. In December of last year when John Roark called me to tell me they had chosen me for the Master of the Southwest award for 2020 I was in such a state of surprise I drove a mile and a half passed the street I was supposed to turn on and started crying the minute we hung up. It was something that seemed so far off, I really never expected it.

On Monday, February 17th, I was in awe as I approached the podium to accept my award. It is the milestone of my career to date. The infatuation I have had with the magazine has officially turned into a full-blown love affair. The magazine continues to represent Phoenix as a city of design forced to be reckoned with, and I am ever so pleased to be part of its history.

Master of the Southwest Isabel Dellinger Candelaria

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Master of the Southwest Award