Dale Armstrong

A die-hard rockhound, lapidary, and wire jewelry designer, instructor and author, Dale is a regular contributor to Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry magazine and has been published in The Wire Artist Jeweler, Bead Unique, and Art Jewelry magazines. She is a frequent instructor at Lapidary Journal's Jewelry Arts Expo and Bead Fest events. As an instructor, she conducts workshops in her personal studio and travels to teach classes at many bead shops nationwide.

Dale displays her works at juried art shows, where she has earned many awards for her unique pieces. Several jewelry supply companies have chosen to showcase her work in their advertising promotions, and her work is for sale in several museums and galleries.

Following the natural progression of a lapidary, Dale first learned to tumble polish stones, then to cut rock slabs and create cabochons, and finally to facet gemstones--all from rough rock specimens. She next learned to handcraft wire settings for her finished stones. Many of the gemstones used in her work have been hand collected by Dale and her husband, Charlie, from remote locations all over North America. Dale credits her mom for spurring the main interest that led to Dale's chosen career. Her mother was an avid rockhound and many weekend family adventures involved traipsing through the White Mountains of New Hampshire in search of abandoned pegmatite mines. This is where Dale's fascination with, and education of rocks and minerals began, some 40 years ago.

To relax, Dale enjoys working with Charlie in the many gardens that surround their home in southeast Tennessee, playing with agates, and gaming with her daughter, Skye.