Spanish royalty getting Brookhaven art

Published 6:00 am Friday, March 30, 2001

Two Brookhavenites’ work will be headed to Spain following avisit Saturday by King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, and a younglocal citizen will help greet the royal couple when they arrive inJackson.

Dr. Kim Sessums and Peggy Brady, the wife of the late BruceBrady, will be present Saturday as Sessums’ bust of Mississippiauthor Eudora Welty and Mr. Brady’s bust of William Faulkner arepresented to the king and queen during their visit to see the “TheMajesty of Spain” exhibit.

“I’m excited. It’s a great honor,” Sessums said as he preparedfor the event.

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Peggy Brady expressed similar sentiments. She said her husbandwould consider being part of the presentation a thrill and anhonor.

“He would be so very excited over all of this. But at the sametime, he would be so humbled,” she said. “When people admired hiswork, he was so humble.”

A second Bruce Brady work, “The Bluesman,” will also bepresented to the royal couple, Mrs. Brady said. She said Gov. andMrs. Musgrove will give it to the royal couple during a receptionat the Capitol.

Also, the Bradys’ granddaughter Margaret Taylor, 7, was chosento present a bouquet of flowers to the queen, said the girl’sfather Mike Taylor.

“She was picked for the job several years ago before the exhibitwas put together,” Taylor said.

The younger Taylor impressed Jack Kyle, executive director ofthe Mississippi Commission for International Cultural Exchange,when he was in town visiting the Bradys several years ago. Margaretcounted to 31 in Spanish after learning the numbers inkindergarten, Mike Taylor said.

Regarding the gifts, Sessums said Kyle wanted “unique gifts fromthe state of Mississippi” produced by state artists. The busts ofFaulkner and Welty fit the bill.

“I feel honored for Jack to have called and thought enough of mywork to have it be a part of it,” Sessums said.

Almost as exciting to Sessums is having his work presented alongwith that of Brady, who passed away last February.

“He was a mentor and a great inspiration to me,” Sessumssaid.

Sessums said it speaks highly of exhibit organizers for them tobe able to bring the royal couple to Mississippi to view theexhibit at the Mississippi Arts Pavilion. The pavilion will beclosed from 5 p.m. Friday until 3 p.m. Saturday in preparation forand during the royal couple’s visit.

“The Majesty of Spain” exhibit opened March 1 and will continuethrough Sept. 3.