Ruth Brompton-Charlesworth

After years spent studying in libraries, archives and museums, I finally emerged from my academic chrysalis and began to sew again, 'Sumptuosity' was born.  My knowledge of the past informs and inspires my work – this may be directly in the form of J.B.S. Haldane's 'inordinate fondness for beetles or indirect in regards to Mrs Elizabeth Gaskell's advice to always have a piece of sewing to hand.  I have a lifelong love of textiles and am an incorrigible collector and magpie-like hoarder of 'junk' (my Dad's phrase) from natural history items (leaves, pebbles etc) to fragments of the past (e.g. 18thc gaming counters), but most especially fabric (antique, vintage or simply re-cycled) my emotional response to these items can be found embedded within my work . I love to embroider on a small scale and to make small items – all the easier for others to hoard! Everything that is designed and made by Sumptuosity is intended to be 'a joy to the maker and the user'.