As I built a growing library of material samples for Year of Plastic, I began noticing that I was only using certain parts of each plastic container. For pieces like the Winged Seed Ring, I cut away the flat, transparent surfaces, leaving behind the molded rims that allowed the lid to snap onto the container. I wanted to use as much of the material as possible, so rather than throwing those pieces away, I became curious about what they might become.

The Accretion Brooch grew from that curiosity. I cut the rims into short sections and stitched them together by hand. By applying tension in specific places as I sewed, the strips gradually pulled into a rounded, clustered form. The finished brooch resembled a crystal formation, and over time I began referring to these pieces as okenite because they reminded me of the fuzzy, spherical mineral.

Looking back, this piece represents another turning point in my practice. It challenged me to see discarded materials more completely, recognizing potential not only in the obvious surfaces but also in the overlooked structural elements designed for function. Instead of treating these remnants as waste, I began seeing their manufactured curves and edges as building blocks for forms inspired by the natural world.