Art of the Heirloom

by Ken Greene

The Hudson Valley Seed Library

presents the

Art of the Heirloom Exhibition

Join us on November 5th from 4-8pm for the unveiling of the Hudson Valley Seed Library’s new art packs for the 2012 season! Art of the Heirloom will celebrate the artists who created works for our unique seed packs. Stop in for an artist’s reception, seed swap, and holiday sale.

“The artwork reflects the genetic and cultural diversity of the stories inherent in seeds,” says Ken Greene, co-founder of the Seed Library.

The event is hosted by the Friends of Historic Kingston and a percentage of sales will benefit their organization as well as the South Pine Street City Farm.

About the Event

This one night event will be part of the First Saturday gallery tour in Kingston and is the launch of the Seed Library’s travelling exhibit of their collection of contemporary heirloom art. Every year, we commission new artists, from all over the Hudson Valley, to create artwork for the covers of our unique seed packs.

We are grateful to The Friends of Historic Kingston for hosting our opening in their museum on the corner of Wall Street and Main. Just as the Seed Library works to preserve New York’s garden heritage and seed stories, FOHK works to preserve the buildings, sites and neighborhoods that tell Kingston’s story. “Seeds are living histories,” says Greene. “Growing our seeds gives you a taste of history.”

To make more of a connection between Kingston’s history and present day, the Seed Library’s event will also benefit Kingston’s urban farm. The South Pine Street City Farm is a program of The Queens Galley in partnership with Kingston Land Trust and Binnewater Ice Company. The thriving market garden, which uses seeds from the Seed Library, serves as a model of urban agriculture while providing the city with food, education, and inspiration to create more urban farms and gardens.

Gallery Show

See the original artworks! Over 130 artists applied to create work for the Seed Library this year. The twenty-three newly commissioned artworks will be on display along with the 2012 Art Pack collection.

Artist Reception

Meet the artists! The artists are all invited to the reception and many will be on hand to sign prints and packs.

Guided Tour

Hear seed stories! Ken Greene, co-founder of the Seed Library, will give a guided tour of the artwork and talk about the relationship between the heirlooms and art and the Seed Library’s artisanal seed farm in Accord, NY.

Seed Swap and Return

Get seedy! Bring your leftover seeds to swap with other gardeners. Everyone who brings seeds to swap will be entered in a drawing to win a free 2012 Seed Library membership. Seed Library members can bring their saved seeds to the event and log their 2012 seed credits.

Holiday Sale

Get green gifts! This will be the first time the new Art Packs are available for sale. The Seed Library will also be offering fine art prints of the artworks, gift memberships, gift baskets, and archival reprints of historic images. Come see the artwork and do some holiday gift shopping as well. A portion of the proceeds from this sale will support The Friends of Historic Kingston and the South Pine Street City Farm.

You can RSVP and share the event with your friends from our Facebook page.

The show will move to The Store Front Gallery at 93 Broadway for the month of December and then move to other locations around the Hudson Valley, New York City, and the Northeast. To see a list of upcoming events, visit seedlibrary.org.

If you are interested in hosting the show or would like images for an article, contact Ken Greene ken@seedlibrary.org 845-204-8769