Sophisticated & One-of-a-Kind: PHOENIX Magazine Spotlights Our New Aesthetic

ShowroomPress
Written By Rich Helmer

Milagros Rústicos Showroom

The Evolution of the Gallery

What does it mean to be "Sophisticatedly Hacienda?" PHOENIX Magazine recently stopped by our Village Square at Dana Park location to explore that very question. In their Shopping Spotlight, writer Leah LeMoine captures the transition of Milagros Rústicos from our "picker" roots into the elevated, gallery-style sanctuary we are today.

The article highlights how our founder, Pat Dickenson, passed her "creative eye" to her son, Rich Helmer, whose vision has shaped our most recent evolution. From the rugged beauty of reclaimed Mexican timber to the refined elegance of American-made tooled leather, the press is noticing a change: we are moving into a more intentional, curated territory.

"Rich’s artistic vision shaped the latest evolution of the company and the elevated aesthetic of the gallery-like space... He’s got the creative eye like crazy." — Jodi Helmer

A Fusion of Art and Anchor

One of our favorite parts of this feature is the recognition of our fine-art photography. As many of our collectors know, we believe a home is a gallery of one's life. By pairing Rich Helmer’s Arizona Highways-featured landscape photography with our one-of-a-kind furniture from Mexico, Peru, and Brazil, we are creating a look that is uniquely ours.

Whether it’s a hand-blown glass vessel or a custom-tooled leather sofa, this spotlight confirms what we strive for every day: providing pieces that aren't just furniture, but art.

Read the Full Spotlight at PHOENIX Magazine
Rich Helmer

Originally from the Chicago suburb of Elgin, Illinois, Rich Helmer's family headed west to Arizona just before his final years of high school. Rich became instantly fascinated with the desert southwest. Its renowned grandeur and mysterious energy would profoundly influence his later work, as would the endless beaches of Mexico and Southern California. Rich's sonic creativity emerged at an early age, as did his unorthodox approach to artistic ventures.

As a primarily self-taught guitarist and songwriter, Rich has never been one to live by a handbook. However, after devoting most of his life to music, he abandoned his true passion and decided to seek a more "realistic" vocation. The decade-long diversion is something that Rich still occasionally laments, but he also knows that the past is just that - the past. Fortunately, Rich decided to dust off his vintage Telecaster and pursue his love of photography, leaving him with little time for regrets.

Rich dares us to consider what possibilities may lie along the path less traveled with both humility and purpose. Whether provocative, soul-stirring, inspiring, disconcerting, or some combination of these, the overarching theme in Rich's work is that, for him, the lens is much more than a curved piece of glass; it is a vehicle through which viewers can experience worlds that might have otherwise remained hidden.

Join his journey.

https://www.richhelmer.com
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