Doug and Dana in Santa Fe

The Santa Fean recently featured Doug and Dana in a wonderful article/cover feature about their unique lifestyle. Doug and Dana’s article was produced by the best in Santa Fe… Writer Amy Hegarty, photographer Gabriella Marks, and stylist Cynthia Whitney-Ward. Well done!

‘Living the Dream: Artists in Residence’ by Amy Hegarty. Photographs by Gabriella Marks, Styling by Cynthia Whitney-Ward. In their annual People Issue, Santa Fean magazine gives an unprecedented glimpse into the private life of one of Santa Fe’s creative couples, Douglas Magnus and Dana Waldon. As a premier publication representing the lifestyle of The City Different, we are humbled and honored to be included. Thank you for making us look good!

Fireplace and Scout the dog

Boots and Cabinet

Doug and dog

Dana

 

 

Todd at the Cerrillos Mines

I thought ,”how could a grown man be so taken by these tiny little stones?”

It went right over my head until much later. I had to learn step by step, starting with an appreciation of SW Indian silver and turquoise. As a self taught jeweler and stone cutter, and eventual turquoise mine owner, working the rarest of turquoise, setting it in gold, and Viola! Diamonds! Yes, I finally came round to diamonds since diamonds are a metaphor for ‘precious’. To me they are very generic in their typical white, round and brilliant cut state. They are a value enhancing accent, which people recognize and love. Truth is I have never wanted my Jewelry to look commonplace, and really don,t like to work with commonplace diamonds. My jewelry has a more antique feel and as such I started thinking about those rose cuts I saw as a kid. T rouble was that back in the 80s, they were not widely available. Raw diamonds were almost nonexistent.

Since I am religious about attending the Tucson Gem show, I get to see everything, and little by little, rose cuts began to appear amongst the east Indian diamond dealers. Seems there was a trend developing, and I was right there. I bought a few and started leaning how to set them. Another thing my father told me shortly before he passed away(1987) was

‘coffee colored diamonds are gonna be big’.

He was right about that.

I got into brown colored rose cuts. Eventually, raw diamonds started showing up, and I thought they would be perfect for the esthetic of my jewelry development. I was after all using raw stones from my turquoise mines, and raw diamonds would be the the perfect compliment.

That all seems like a long time ago, now.

I have continued to use both rose and raw diamonds. And believe I have created some unique styling, unlike any others.

Check out my Primal Diamond collection on my website. I love thinking that my father had an influence in my Jewelry Making development, and I am pleased to see the progress of my young colleage Todd Reed.

It’s a wonderful life!

Wendy Roderique

Wendy Rodrique wears her favorite earrings by Magnus.

Boomo

Doug Magnus hosts the Mark Ziegler Memorial Services, Sunday Nov 13, 2011.

The Tiffany Mines, outside of Santa Fe, was a big part of Mark’s legacy. Mark, known by many as “Boomo”, spent many months, actually some 10-12 years, on the renovation and development of this ancient turquoise mine. When Doug and Mark arrived, the mine was a trash heap, inside and out. Mark, the farmer/engineer/architect that he was, developed so many facets of this mine, that we would not be amiss to refer to those 12 years of work as the “Boomo years”. His booming voice and laugh may be a memory to us, but his work lives on forever.
Thanks Boomo!

Doug in Mexico

Doug takes several trips a year to Mexico to get his paint on. This latest trip to Ajijic, Mexico. Ajijic is a town about 3 miles from, and a part of, the municipality of Chapala, in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. Situated on the north shore of Lake Chapala, surrounded by mountains, Ajijic enjoys a moderate climate year round. The population is around 15,000. Ajijic is located (at 20°18″N, 103°15″W) 5046 feet above sea level in the vast central Mexican plateau that is home to the Sierra Madre mountain range.
The Chapala Lake basin has a year round average temperature of about 72 degrees. Due to Ajijic’s tropical latitude, the sun is warm year round; due to its relatively high elevation, it is seldom unpleasantly hot or humid. The rainy season begins in June and lasts until October with an average rainfall of approximately 34 inches. Even during the rainy season, precipitation generally occurs during the evening or at night.
December and January are the coolest months and May is the hottest, just before the onset of the rainy season. Overall, there is very little temperature variation year round: daytime highs in January are around 75 degrees; daytime highs in July are around 80 to 90 degrees.
Here are some beautiful photos from Doug’s trip…Push the little arrow in a box in the lower right corner to view large.

An Arizona Holiday – Sep 2011 from Ron M on Vimeo.