We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dorothee Kumpe a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Dorothee, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
Earning a full time living from my creative work was a natural progression for me. As a creative child, I did everything from having styled photoshoots with my toys, to “baking” mud cakes in the yard, enhanced with worms and other creepy crawlies. I dressed up in my mothers closet and adored all things strange an unusual, vintage and antiques started to really interest me. In my teens I started working with road kill and insect taxidermy. I progressed with acrylic and oil painting at school, however mixed media is where my heart stayed. By high school, I was sewing my own clothing, creating my bags by pulling the stuffing out of plush toys and turning them into demented back packs, and was generally known as the “freak” at school. I’ll fly that freak flag to the day I die.
Dorothee, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
After business burnout, divorce, and being past 40, I needed to reassess my mental and physical health. I had worked for prominent people and made them so much money for most of my life, yet was not happy with what these people and companies were giving back to their employees. I left the idea of working for someone else behind and haven’t looked back since. Tapping into my childhood and all the suppressed creativity that I needed so badly back in life for my own sanity, Deep Purpose was born. I have been setting insects in resin for my own jewelry for over 20 years and now decided it was time to have my talents work for me. I started selling my creature rings and soon expanded to encasing the insects and later leaves and orchids in copper.
As a copper artist, I’ve progressed from copper-forming, to plating, to forging. I make a few collections: adjustable rings with crystals plated in silver or gold; my Flora and Fauna collection is the copper-forming of delicate and real organic material; and of course resin setting insects like bees, beetles, spiders and scorpions.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I pivot my business VERY frequently. I have over 20 years of retail management and operational administration under my belt that has instilled in me all the tools I needed to succeed. I change my ad campaigns, my displays, and my themes within my style, to address my sales or lack there of. This season, I am going all in for Halloween and the Spooky Season with custom colors and creature evil eye rings.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative and being able to support my home with my work, is the freedom of allowing myself to express myself in a way that makes my soul and my inner child, absolutely complete. My success is a direct result of me: my work, my ethics, my creativity, my mission…and that is so satisfying!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.DeepPurposeJewelry.com
- Instagram: @deep_purpose
- Facebook: @deeppurposejewelry
Image Credits
Devyn from Simply Great Productions