John Singer Sargent’s 1887 painting of two girls lighting paper lanterns in a garden at twilight has long been one of the artist’s best-loved works. Canadian children’s author Hugh Brewster decided to tell the story behind its creation in a book entitled Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose: The Story of a Painting, (Kids Can Press.) The book was nominated for a 2007 Governor General's Award and selected as one of the best children’s books of the year by the Washington Post.
On a visit to the village of Broadway, Worcestershire, where the book is set, Brewster suggested to local art dealer John Noott, that the village should have a festival to celebrate the remarkable colony of artists (Sargent, Henry James, Laurence Alma-Tadema, Frank Millet and others) who once lived there. “I suggested that I’d write a play adaptation of Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose to be performed right where it happened 125 years before,” Brewster recalls.
Next month, a gala performance of Brewster’s play will launch the first Broadway Arts Festival on Friday 11th June 2010. The village will be decorated with thousands of lanterns and an exhibition of works by Sargent and other members of the Broadway colony will be opened by Sargent’s great-nephew, art historian Richard Ormond. For the following ten days there will be talks by Sargent scholars, theatre, music, guided walks and a flower festival. See www.broadwayartsfestival.com for further information.
“It’s thrilling to see all this become a reality,” says Brewster. “The festival will be a biennial event and there are few places lovelier than the Cotswold hills in June”.
For More Information Please Contact:
Debbie Williamson
Broadway Arts Festival Press Officer
+44(0)1386 858841
Email: dj.tanserwilliamson@btinternet.com
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