We recently connected with Dorothee Kumpe and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Dorothee, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
Deep Purpose is the most meaningful project I’ve worked on because its given me the freedom to go and do and to help where and when I want. What that means is that in my life, my careers were based on working for others and there were always road blocks and egos that didn’t want to work with charities and non-profits to connect community. In creating my own brand, and in creating specific jewelry pieces that I could sell to help raise funds for those charities, has catapulted my purpose forward. This is very meaningful to me as I find that post-COVID, the world seems more and more angry and divided. I feel strongly that it is necessary to bring people together and to uplift the local small businesses within the community, in order for our society to stay strong.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
As a jewelry designer and creator, I work predominantly in all things copper. Copper based jewelry that is gold and silver plated; copper-formed organic pieces as jewelry; forged copper with cuff bracelets; and a cornucopia of other jewelry crafts from resin set insects to hand-knotted beaded malas and body jewelry. The most interesting, and I feel unique of these methods, is copper-forming organic pieces. I grow orchids and plants in and around my home in South Florida and absolutely love capturing their beauty in copper. I started with shells and scorpions and eventually worked my way to being able to get the orchids and leaves to hold their shape under the tedious process. The items get sealed, then coated in a graphite based paint, they then are submerged into an acid bath with copper that gets electrified and begins to slowly deposit pure copper onto the surface of the item. This can take 4-120 hours depending on the size, detail, and weight of the items. Sanding, polishing, buffing and then lacquering these pieces to connect them to copper findings and create wearable art.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
In these difficult economic times, I always believe it starts small. By supporting local artists and vendors you create a cycle that helps all local businesses. Support can be as simple as sharing, liking, and helping promote their events and products on different platforms. Tagging and reviewing those items on social media sites is another way to support. Obviously just shop local and small and you start to make a smaller footprint as well. Less boxes and trash, and more eclectic and unique products. Most importantly, many items that are mass produced are not ethically made. When you meet an artist and you speak with them about their story, their technique, it’s so much more special and really drives a sense of community starting with the “little guy”. Think about it this way: you support a small local vendor; they in turn will spend money with other vendors, and they will do the same, perpetuating local community and therefor the next mom and pop brick and mortar store will also benefit because all these vendors need food and supplies so the cycle goes on in a healthy way.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Freedom. I am an immigrant, a woman, and an artist. All 3 of these things are not easy to overcome in corporate settings, however in Florida right now, it seems THAT much more difficult. Being able to create, market, sell, and donate from my work is super rewarding and empowering. Not having to defend my existence to someone that wants to pay minimum for maximum output, monopolizes your life with the facade that its “all for your career path”, uses you and then moves on is just not the corporate business model that I can be in anymore or ever again. It’s not healthy. Not to mention how many people are subconsciously biased to believe that “pretty” women, can not also be “smart”. Both those words are just demeaning. We are all intelligent beings on this earth, on our own individual journeys. All you need is a little respect for others and yourself. Leaving all of that behind (I was averaging over 100 hours a week working, taking calls at all hours, cancelling important events to go work)and putting all that effort, love, and drive into my own creative journey has been hands down the most rewarding financially and most importantly: spiritually. I believe when we pay it forward and volunteer, we are paying into our souls’ cache, karmic good energy, and that is exactly what Deep Purpose is about for me. My liberation, my purpose. 
Contact Info:
- Website: www.deeppurposejewelry.com
- Instagram: @deep_purpose
- Facebook: @DeepPurposeJewelry
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/dorothee-kumpe-55761287
- Other: linktr.ee/DeepPurpose
Image Credits
Devyn from Simply Great Productions