Wire Sculpture Expert Dale -Cougar- Armstrong Interview

Reader-Optimized Version
I'm here (Alexandrea) with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong, a die-hard rock hound, lapidary, and wire jewelry designer. As an expert, you have followers who want to know more about you. Today, we're going to talk about your life's work, ambitions, family life, and what the future holds.

**Alexandrea:** Dale, I have to ask, where does the "Cougar" come from in your brand name?

**Dale:** I'm really glad you asked. It has nothing to do with the current "cougar woman" definition. It's a nickname my husband and friends gave me because my personality is more like a big cat. I use the cougar as my animal spirit totem and for identification purposes in my business.

**Alexandrea:** You truly are an artist. How and when did you discover that jewelry was the art form you could express yourself best?

**Dale:** After years of training in 2D art, I realized 3D art was my favorite. In a high school art class, I was working on a mixed-media piece with paper mache and macramé, and my hands improved the piece beyond my original sketch. My wire jewelry career began about 19 years ago, evolving from rock hounding to lapidary. I explored silversmithing, casting, and soldering, but wire gave me more artistic freedom, so I started including it in art shows in 1996.

**Alexandrea:** You're an accomplished designer, instructor, and author. How many years have you devoted to this career, and when did you decide to share your knowledge with others?

**Dale:** That's a big question. I credit everything I've done since age 10, from private art lessons to jobs in sales, management, and advertising, as preparation. I began teaching wire jewelry by request in 1998. About nine years ago, students encouraged me to write a book, which I worked on over seven years.

**Alexandrea:** Let's talk about your home life. What do you do for fun during downtime?

**Dale:** Downtime is a treasure because I don't have much. I love reading-science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction about ancient civilizations-which often inspires my jewelry. For brain breaks, I play electronic games with my daughter, including Final Fantasy and Magic: The Gathering. I also enjoy gardening and, of course, looking at and playing with rocks.

**Alexandrea:** Have any of your kids followed your artistic path?

**Dale:** Probably not. My daughter Sky enjoys chain mail and rocks, moving from pebble pup to rock hound around age 12, with a focus on fossils. But the social side of this business isn't her thing. I also have stepdaughters who may be interested when they're older.

**Alexandrea:** I remember reading that your daughter has several disabilities. How has caring for her affected your jewelry-making career?

**Dale:** Sky sees the world differently. While living on the road with my husband, I homeschooled her for many years. Teaching her taught me that people learn in different ways and how to teach in multiple ways at once. She also taught me what's important in life and, most of all, patience.

**Alexandrea:** Where do you find inspiration for jewelry designs?

**Dale:** Inspiration comes from everywhere: music, books, movies, views from planes, audio/visual pieces, or memories. Everything can spark an idea.

**Alexandrea:** Finally, tell us about your newly released book.

**Dale:** I'd love to. It was quite an accomplishment, taking about seven years. I asked students what they wanted-they wanted more than just projects. I aimed to provide formulas and techniques so they could practice and expand on them. "Wire Works" was the result, written for my students.

Thank you so much, Dale, for sharing your time with us. I'll catch up with you again in October or November to explore other new projects!

Alexandrea