Rare Forms is a limited-edition line of bronze sculptures by Amy Goldman. It is a natural outgrowth of years of dedication to protecting the agricultural heritage and genetic diversity of the world’s fruits and vegetables. These sculptures preserve in art what Amy Goldman has been safeguarding in nature.
Amy is an expert on heirloom vegetables. Passed down from generation to generation much like any family heirloom, the seeds of these vegetables represent a direct link to the past. Heirlooms are a striking alternative to the uniformity of today’s mass-produced hybrid and genetically modified vegetables.
Many of the heirloom varieties of tomato, gourd, squash, and melon that Rare Forms captures in bronze would have disappeared completely but for a group of concerned gardeners and farmers known as “seed savers.”
After reading about the cause in Rosalind Creasy’s Cooking from the Garden, Amy became an active member of the Seed Savers Exchange, a non-profit group dedicated to preserving the nation’s agricultural heritage. She now serves as Chair of its Board of Directors.
Every summer, Amy grows hundreds of different varieties of heirloom vegetables in her garden. Her primary purpose is not to consume them, but to cultivate and save the seeds of these endangered species. She dedicates many of her waking hours to spreading the word about the importance of growing and preserving heirlooms.
Amy’s first book, Melons for the Passionate Grower, received critical acclaim as “a feast for the eyes and a serious reminder that biodiversity is admirable and necessary.” Her second book, The Compleat Squash, presents 150 must-grow pumpkins, squashes, and gourds that offer unsurpassed beauty and exceptional flavor. Her newest book, The Heirloom Tomato: from Garden to Table, beautifully presents the history and allure of the tomato from the viewpoint of a true insider. You’ll find advice for avid gardeners and recipes that will whet every appetite.
Amy is well-known to television viewers of Martha Stewart Living and The Victory Garden. She has been profiled in Organic Gardening, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times and The Washington Post.