Hudson Valley Seed Library’s “Art of the Heirloom” in Kingston

On the other hand, says Greene, “When you look at artwork, it encourages people to think about the story. It’s the cultural part of what we grow, which is equally important. If you’re thinking, ‘I’m growing this seed’s story,’ then suddenly, it’s very different. It gives people license to know that the story of their garden is going to be a little bit different than everyone else’s story, and that’s part of the fun.”

Greene started the art pack venture with 14 Hudson Valley artists, all friends. The Seed Library now has more than 100 different art packs containing seeds that were grown, saved and packed by hand, most from Greene’s farm in Accord shared by partner Doug Muller, technical and financial manager of the company.

Last March, more than 300 artists applied to become art pack artists, with 24 of them chosen to represent the new additions for 2014. Greene says that he seeks a diversity of artists who use a variety of media, which best represents the diversity found in heirloom seeds.

Every year, the Seed Library has a gallery exhibition of the newest commissions for the art packs, where the original artwork is on display along with the finished seed packets. This year’s “Art of the Heirloom” annual exhibition and holiday sale (there’ll be plenty of seed packets and fine art prints available for purchase) will open with a reception on Saturday, November 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the new Anvil Gallery inside Tech Smiths at 45 North Front Street in Kingston.

The “Art of the Heirloom” exhibit allows people to see what the original art looked like and the changes made for it to be turned into a seed-packet design, says Greene. And the steps involved in that can be considerable, because the Hudson Valley Seed Library doesn’t turn just to painters, illustrators or graphic designers, but to artists who work in three-dimensional media as well, including this year the work of raku potter JoAnn Axford and wooden figures by folk artist Ulana Zahajkewycz.

The other artists exhibiting are Adam Ledford (clay); Ann-Marie Gillett (tape collage); Bayla Laks (watercolor); Beth Haber (plastic collage); Bobbi Angell (etching); Christina Hess (illustration); Eric Losh (illustration); Erica Hauser (oil); Gina Diamanti-Palmer (linocut); Giselle Potter (painting); Hollie Shortino (painting); Jessi Carter (painting); Kristen Egan (painting, collage); Kristin Flynn (painting); Lynne Bittner (il

lustration); Micaela Barrett (watercolor); Molly Rausch (watercolor); Rebecca Ringquist (embroidery); Sarah Snow (collage); Susan Wilson (scratchboard); and Suzanne Fortin (stained glass).

An open call for artists is held annually. For information on how to apply, artists can subscribe to the Seed Library’s e-mail newsletter or visit www.seedlibrary.org.

The show will remain at the Anvil Gallery for about six weeks, then travel widely to other galleries and locations that include the Philadelphia Flower Show, the Horticulture Society of New York in Manhattan, the Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy and the National Heirloom Exposition in California. The show always opens locally first, Greene says, “so that the people we’re really connected with can be there.” Many of the artists who designed this year’s art packs will be at the opening.

“I really view the artists as seed-savers themselves,” Greene says. “They’re like cultural seed-savers, because artists look at the world and interpret it through their art. What they’re doing is selecting what they think is the most interesting or most beautiful [aspect of something], or a story that they want to pass on through their artwork. And we do the same thing on our farm: We’re looking at the varieties we’re growing and we’re deciding what are the most important things to pass on. There was a lot more diversity available locally 100 years ago than there is today, and we’re trying to bring that diversity back home.”

Hudson Valley Seed Company’s “Art of the Heirloom” opening, Saturday, November 9, 6-9 p.m., Anvil Gallery, Tech Smiths, 45 North Front Street, Kingston; (845) 443-4866, [email protected], www.tech-smiths.com, www.seedlibrary.org.